
WARMINSTER >> There’s no place like home.
With every passing day, Archbishop Wood senior Marisa Browne saw the softball team’s new field inching closer and closer to completion. The days of making a 10-minute drive to the Hatboro Little League facility for games or practices were gone. The Vikings finally had a field, even if the weather kept pushing back their first game using it.
Saturday, finally, Wood got to play a home game on its own field and ushered it in with a 15-0 win over West Catholic in three innings.
“It’s so nice having it here, it’s ours,” Browne said. “Football doesn’t even have a field of their own yet, it’s great. I was thrilled, I think everyone on our team was. A lot of the work was done over the summer but seeing it for the first time was exciting.”
The win improved the Vikings to 3-2 on the season and 3-0 in PCL play. While the field is new, the team is not with an experienced group again looking to contend in the Catholic League. Browne, Jules Donchez, Gianna Lancelotti, Taylor Schwartz and Kylee Guerrera make up the veteran core.
Wood has won the last two District 12 titles, the first in 3A and last year in 5A when the PIAA split to six classes but is still looking to put together a run in the PCL tournament and a victory in states. Like most teams in the area, the Vikings were hamstrung by poor weather throughout preseason but have seemed to hit their stride this past week.
A 9-2 win on the road at St. Hubert saw the Vikings’ bats come to life which was much-needed after the delay-filled start to the season.
“We’re feeling better, we had 14 hits against St. Hubert so the bats are starting to come alive to go with our pitching,” Wood coach Jackie Ecker said. “We have a really good squad this year, so I’m confident in them. Even in the cold, they didn’t give up and kept on fighting. It was tough but they picked it up and I think they’ll keep it going even with a tough schedule ahead.”
Ecker put together a solid non-league slate loaded with SOL squads and while the Vikings dropped their first two games against William Tennent and Council Rock North, Browne said they didn’t get too down about it.
The senior right-hander, a Drexel recruit, is one of the best pitchers in the PCL and also a solid bat. Donchez, Lancelotti, both juniors and Guerrera, a sophomore, anchor the top end of the lineup and have been some of the team’s top hitters since their first seasons with the program.
“There’s not a lot of negativity, I mean we’re girls so there’s drama, but we’re teammates and we rally around each other whenever we need to,” Browne said. “There’s more expectations on us, we have to play well every game, but we still have the same attitude that we’re just going to go out and play.”
Wood also has some newcomers and returners that have stepped up like Jackie Fagan, Rachael Burns and Sam Link. Freshman Deana Campbell likewise earned her way into the starting lineup, mostly in the outfield but also gives the Vikings another pitching arm.
Campbell pitched Saturday’s game and the coaching staff is looking to get the righty more innings through the season.
“This team, they really just rally around each other,” Ecker said. “I think that’s something we’ll do all season.”
Wood formally opens its new field next Saturday when it faces Council Rock South in a non-league game. After the varsity game, which is set for 12:30, there will be a field dedication and an alumni game.
The game will cap what is setting up as a challenging week for the Vikings. Wood is scheduled to host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday, then has two PCL games in a Tuesday home game with Archbishop Ryan and a Thursday trip to Conwell-Egan before hosting the Golden Hawks on Saturday.
“I’m happy that softball teams after us at Wood are going to have their own field here,” Browne said. “We’re the ones that built it, well, not literally build it, but we helped bring it in.”
Comments

Recent News
-
Winter Sports
/ 4 hours agoO’Brien takes in player of the year honor, SOL seniors enjoy all-star experience
WHITEMARSH >> It was a common occurrence the last two seasons for young basketball...
-
Girls Track and Field
/ 6 hours agoFreshmen have a big day for Episcopal
Freshmen Jilliana McEntee and Kristen Weil ran 2:24 and 2:25, respectively, in the 800...
By Matt Smith -
Spring Sports
/ 6 hours agoChichester falls to Bensalem
Ricky Van NewKirk battled to a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win at No. 2 singles,...
By papreplive -
Spring Sports
/ 6 hours agoHaverford School makes easy work of Hill School; Interboro falls to OWR
Ten players scored at least one goal in The Haverford School’s 17-3 nonleague thumping...
By papreplive -
Girls Lacrosse
/ 6 hours agoOwen J. Roberts gains separation from Perkiomen Valley, wins 15-8
BUCKTOWN >> On March 28, the PAC girls lacrosse season kicked off with Owen...
By Rob Senior -
Spring Sports
/ 6 hours agoArchbishop Carroll in a sharing mood again
For the Archbishop Carroll girls lacrosse team, sharing is caring. Eighteen players recorded one...
By papreplive -
Spring Sports
/ 6 hours agoArchbishop Carroll suffers first Catholic League loss
Adam Jaep’s inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning set Neumann-Goretti on its way...
By papreplive -
Fall Sports
/ 8 hours agoBoyertown’s Jerry Kapp signs on with Seton Hill University
Name: Jerry Kapp High School: Boyertown College Selection: Seton Hill University Sport: Football Position: Wide Receiver Anticipated Major: Business/Sports Management...
By papreplive -
Fall Sports
/ 8 hours agoBoyertown’s Cy Evans signs with York College
Name: Cy Evans High School: Boyertown College Selection: York College of PA Sport: Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country...
By papreplive -
Fall Sports
/ 8 hours agoBoyertown’s Darryl Carver signs on with King’s College
Name: Darryl Carver High School: Boyertown College Selection: King’s College Sport: Football Position: Linebacker Anticipated Major: Business Parents: Darryl and Gwen...
By papreplive -
Winter Sports
/ 8 hours agoBoyertown’s Victoria Boalton commits to Washington & Jefferson College
Name: Victoria Boalton High School: Boyertown College Selection: Washington & Jefferson College Sport: Women’s Basketball Position: Shooting guard Club...
By papreplive -
Spring Sports
/ 9 hours agoSpring-Ford tops Pope John Paul II to stay unbeaten in PAC
ROYERSFORD >> Early in Wednesday’s game, Pope John Paul II had the league’s best...
By Tom Nash