Willis scores two as OJR shocks No. 5 Pennridge
PERKASIE — It took a play-in game for OJR to make the District 1-AAA tournament, but now that the Wildcats are in, they plan to stay awhile.
Freshman Mahogany Willis netted both OJR goals, scoring the eventual game-winner with 10 minutes remaining as the No. 28 Wildcats stunned No. 5 Pennridge, 2-1, in a come-from-behind, opening round victory Thursday night.
“She played beyond her years,’ OJR head coach Joe Margusity said. “She’s one of the best forwards for her age group, not only in the state of Pennsylvania but in the region. I could just tell when she had the ball, she wanted nothing but to beat her defender. She’s one of those strikers that wants the last shot.’
The loss ends Pennridge’s season, a few days after its district seeding changed (due to a District 1 miscalculation) and its first round bye was forfeited.
“I’m not an excuse person, it is what it is. There’s nothing that we could do about it,’ Pennridge coach Audrey Anderson said of her team having to play a first round game after originally being awarded a first round bye. “It is frustrating that something that we thought was going to happen didn’t happen, but you have to win in order to go to the playoffs and states.’
Pennridge looked well on its way to winning early as sophomore Olivia Fernandez found the back of the net four minutes into the contest, rebounding a deflection off a corner kick. The Rams controlled the pace of play for seemingly the entire half, outshooting the Wildcats 10-3 in the opening stanza.
“I think their nerves were showing. To come out against a team of Pennridge’s caliber, it sort of set them on their heels,’ Margusity said.
The second half wasn’t looking too much better for the Wildcats as Pennridge picked up right where it left off, controlling the play and the majority of possession. The Rams continued to fire shot after shot at OJR keeper Sarah Mills, but Mills was up to task, stopping 10 in the victory.
“You can’t expect to win a game when every time you take a shot it’s going right to the keeper,’ Anderson said as her team racked up 19 shots.
The momentum swing occurred in the 57th minute as Willis made a good run down into the box before labeling a shot for the right-inside post, bending it in before the Pennridge keeper could make up ground.
With the Wildcats’ spirits restored, Willis again made a nice individual effort to net the game winning goal with a few ticks shy of 10 minutes remaining.
For Anderson, she believes the loss in the first round will fuel the team’s motivation heading into next season.
“I think we had four girls that played varsity last year and everybody else is new to the team,’ Anderson said. “I think this is going to motivate them. We talk all the time about being confident in front of the net. I think this will motivate them to practice on their own and get the ball into the back of the net.’
