Pennsbury boys and girls, Council Rock North girls, Neshaminy field hockey emerge with wins

FALLS TWP. – The Pennsbury boys soccer team, the Council Rock North girls and the Neshaminy field hockey team all emerged with wins Thursday afternoon. For that, they all earn trips to the District One-AAA quarterfinals.

Seeded sixth in the boys soccer tourney, the Falcons got on the board early in a 3-0 win over 11th-seeded Lower Merion.

Pennsbury senior Will McCollough scored the deciding goal just three minutes into the District 1-AAA second-round win over the Aces. Leading 1-0 at the half, junior Zach LoBasso pushed the score to 2-nil when he scored off a feed from senior Colin Marks in the 55th minute of play. Eight minutes later, Marks tallied on a penalty kick goal, registered after a foul in the box to LoBasso.

“We were very good today,” said Falcons head coach Tom Stoddart. “We were very much in control throughout the game and we kept everything in check.”

Pennsbury will face third-seeded Springfield Delco, a 2-1 winner over No. 19 CB West, in a District 1-AAA quarterfinal Saturday morning in Delaware County.

Seeded No. 2 in the girls D-1 soccer tournament, the Falcon ladies also won 3-0 over No. 15 Radnor on a pair of goals by senior Kelly Amador and another by junior Caroline Foley.

The game-winner came in the 44th minute from Amador and she tallied again in the 68th minute off a feed from Hope Drewes. In between, Foley tallied in the 52nd minute off a feed from sophomore Jenna Peters.

Facing a strong wind in the first half, the Falcons put a half-dozen shots but could not get one into the back of the net.

“The wind was definitely a factor and they (Radnor) played very organized defense,” said Pennsbury head coach Kaitlyn Battiste.

“The wind was definitely our friend in the second half and we took advantage of our opportunities.

“We did not get frustrated, even though the score was 0-0 at the half.”

The Falcons will face No. 10 Downingtown West, which got past No. 7 Strath Haven 1-0, on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Seeded 14th, Council Rock North upset No. 3 West Chester Rustin, 2-1 in what was a D-1 opener for the Warriors. On Saturday, the Lady Indians will face No. 6 West Chester Henderson, a 2-1 overtime winner over No. 11 Neshaminy.

Neshaminy’s field hockey team won 2-0 over No. 13 West Chester Henderson on first-half goals by sophomore Abigail Geisler and senior Amanda Blum. Geisler scored 23 minutes into the first half off a feed from junior Mia Sexton. Blum tallied off a feed from senior Marlena Koellner with five minutes to go in the first half.

Both goals came on penalty corners.

The fourth-seeded Lady Skins will face No. 5 Conestoga at 3:30 p.m. Friday in a D-1 quarterfinal matchup at home.

Also in field hockey action, No. 18 seed Council Rock South lost 4-0 to No. 2 Downingtown East.

In the D-1 boys soccer tournament, 15th-seeded Council Rock North fell 2-1 to No. 2 seed Conestoga after being deadlocked at 1-1 at the half with the Pioneers.