Nealons help Garnet Valley rally past Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — The mercury at Halderman Field Tuesday told you it wasn’t playoff time.

Then there was the look in Regan Nealon’s eye, and the blood gushing from a cut over Kathryn Toohey’s eye, indicative that the encounter between Springfield and Garnet Valley had plenty of postseason elements, early schedule and frigid temperatures notwithstanding.

The level of play between the perennial state title contenders didn’t disappoint, either.

Nealon helped orchestrate a second-half rally for the Jaguars, who scored seven unanswered goals after the Cougars had taken their first lead of the game on the way to a 13-7 Central League victory.

“We love playing Springfield and all the Central League teams like this,” Nealon said. “So this was a huge rivalry win, and for us seniors, since they’re not in our (district) playoffs any more, we’re not going to play Springfield ever again, so we really wanted to go out on a win against them because we love playing them and it’s always a fun game.”

Nealon and her sister, Kara, certainly played like it. Of that seven-goal run, only two didn’t have a Nealon’s fingerprints on it. Toohey tied it at five with 17:11 to play, and Kara Nealon gave Garnet the lead for good with a fast-break goal at 14:09.

That play was made on the other end of the field, though. Springfield’s Erin Gormley lost possession but picked up a vital groundball to extend the attacking spell, but Regan Nealon ended up poking away a loose pass in the arc, starting the counterattack that her sister buried.

Regan scored 12 seconds later, then Kara, Toohey and Regan scored in successive minutes from eight meters, in all a 6-0 run of 6 minutes, 28 seconds. Regan provided the capper from eight meters with 6:28 to play, putting Garnet Valley up 11-5.

That marker came on the heels of the latest star turn at the other end: A denial by goaltender Sierra McLaughlin of a free-position shot by Alyssa Long. It was save No. 10 of 12 on the day for the sophomore, who has stepped between the pipes and performed impressively.

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