The Conestoga High School boys soccer team lost to Seneca Valley, 2-0, in the PIAA 4A state semifinal Wednesday evening at Chambersburg Area High School.
The Pioneers, who had defeated Seneca Valley 1-0 in the PIAA 4A state championship final last fall, came into Wednesday’s contest with a 20-3 record and a defense that had allowed only 10 total goals this season and had posted 14 shutouts.
In Wednesday’s contest, the first half was scoreless. Seneca Valley broke the scoring ice with 30:49 left in the second half, then increased its lead to 2-0 with 7:37 left.
“I’m really proud of our effort,” said Conestoga boys’ soccer head coach Dave Zimmerman. “This is far and away the hardest-working group I’ve ever coached. Sometimes I’ve found that teams that follow a squad that has had a lot of success can struggle the following year – the year after we won the state title in both 2011 and 2017, we got knocked out in the first round of the district playoffs – and (in 2018) it was as a No. 1 seed. But this year, our team didn’t succumb to any malaise. For us to come as far as we did in the post-season this year with such a young team — we start only two seniors — is really an accomplishment.”
Field hockey
Lower Dauphin 3, Conestoga 2 >> The Pioneers lost to District 3 champion Lower Dauphin in overtime Wednesday in the PIAA 3A state semifinals. Kate Galica scored both of the Pioneers’ goals. Conestoga junior goalie Alex Lepore had 6 saves. Conestoga had 10 corners to just four for Lower Dauphin, but never held the lead. Lower Dauphin took a 1-0 lead, Conestoga tied it up, then the Pioneers fell behind 2-1 and later tied the score once again.
