Pope John Paul II tops Pottsgrove to reach highest win total since 2011

UPPER PROVIDENCE >> With at least two games to still play in its 2021 season, the Pope John Paul II field hockey team has already put together one of the best campaigns in program history.

Cate Mink and Abby Wilmot both scored a pair of goals and Katie Nilles added another as the Golden Panthers improved to 9-8 on Thursday with a 5-0 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier win against Pottsgrove.

The nine victories for PJP are the most for the program since a 9-8 season in 2011.

“With COVID and everything (last year), we had a lot of time off and a lot of us practiced and got better,” Mink said. “Our coach pushed us to be better this year. … And we want to win, we want to do well, and we want to go far.”

Mink started Pope John Paul II’s (6-7 PAC, 6-4 Frontier) scoring early Thursday, finding the back of the cage a little more than a minute into the game .

Katie Nilles struck with nine to play in the second quarter, and Mink expanded the lead to 3-0 before halftime with her second goal.

“Scoring that early made us strong throughout the rest of the game, and it definitely hyped us up to continue and push to win and get five goals in the cage,” Mink said.

Helped by goalkeeper Makenzie Johnson, who made 19 saves, and sweeper Dom Parkinson, the Falcons (7-11, 4-9 PAC, 3-7 Frontier) kept it to 3-0 after three. However, two quick goals from Wilmot, including one assisted by Mink, early in the fourth put the game out of reach.

Gianna Maza made two saves in goal for the shutout.

“The last one was lucky, but our shots were really good that quarter,” Wilmot said.

“We’re all closer than we’ve ever been so we’re really connecting well,” she added.

Pottsgrove came into Thursday ranked No. 16 in the District 1 Class 2A field, which has 16 teams in its postseason tournament.

A win likely would have secured Pottsgrove’s first postseason trip since at least 2003. Instead the Falcons have to wait more than a week to see if they can hold onto the final district spot.

“It would have moved us up and definitely would have sealed the deal, so now we’re in limbo right now,” Pottsgrove coach Jodi Sproule said. “There’s still a very good possibility.”

Sproule’s group graduated a large senior class before the season, but a young core and a group of 2021 seniors with little varsity experience helped this group make a push for a playoff spot.

“As frustrating as these losses can be they’re still moving in the right direction,” she said.

“These girls have really been impressing me this year and when they show up, they show up big,” Sproule added.

The Golden Panthers’ postseason future is much more secure, ranking No. 11 in the District 1-2A field before Thursday night.

They will have at least two chances to reach even higher heights.

PJP play sLansdale Catholic on Friday to finish up itsregular season before the district playoffs begin Oct. 26.

“The goal is to go far, as far as we can get,” Wilmot said. “We don’t know our schedule yet, but hopefully we’ll get pretty far.”