Top-seeded Unionville rolls into semifinals

EAST MARLBOROUGH — Logan Perkins has been there for every moment of the renaissance that the Unionville High School field hockey program has undergone over the last four years.

The senior has been part of four Ches-Mont American Division titles, two runner-up finishes in the District 1 Class AAA playoffs, and three PIAA tournament appearances, Unionville’s first since before the 21st century. Perkins has seen it all, but even to her experienced eyes, there’s something different about this year’s Indians.

Freshman Erin Matson scored a pair of goals and Perkins tallied one of her own to spark No. 1 Unionville to a 3-1 triumph over No. 8 Conestoga in the district quarterfinals. With their 19th consecutive victory, the Indians (20-1) advanced to a semifinal matchup with No. 5 Downingtown East, a 1-0 victor over archrival Downingtown West, and clinched a state tournament berth. Unionville will look to reach the district championship game for the third time in four years on Wednesday at a time and place to be determined.

“It means a lot,’ said Perkins, who tipped in a pass from classmate Izzy McDonough. “Going to states again as a senior is a great experience.

“This time, I want to win the district championship.’

Thanks in large part to Matson, the freshman phenom who leads the Ches-Mont with 31 goals and 27 assists, there’s a different feeling around this Unionville program, which last reached the PIAA playoffs in 1999 before its recent run of success, highlighted by second-place district finishes in 2011 and 2012.