By Karen Sangillo
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/5/21
LEESPORT – How much they’ve changed in so little time.
Three years ago, the Cardinal O’Hara girls’ lacrosse team was your average program; competitive, but not one you’d expect to make a deep playoff run.
Well, here they are, one step away from a berth in the PIAA championshiop game.
Cardinal O’Hara defeated York Catholic, 16-12, in today’s quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 2A tournament at Schuylkill Valley. The Lions earned a date Tuesday with Delco neighbor Strath Haven (a 21-8 winner over Mars) at a site and time to be determined.
.
“We’re the first O’Hara team to even win a state playoff game and we’re so excited,” said senior captain Mia Scarduzio, who led O’Hara (17-5) with six goals, three assists and seven draw controls. “We all worked really hard together for this. Every practice, every day, we had each other’s backs and we were always there for each other.
“It was all about that; being like sisters and practicing. That’s what got us here.”
O’Hara seized control early by taking a 7-3 lead after scoring five unanswered goals, four by Ellie Miller (five goals, two assists). York Catholic (19-2), the District 3 champion, scored the first goal of the second half to pull within 7-4, but never got closer than 3 goals again the rest of the game.
“We panicked a little bit when they started to come back, but we knew what we needed to do,” Scarduzio said.
Sphomore Maddie Sharkey contributed two goals for O’Hara, while sophomore Claire Natoli had a goal, four draw controls and picked up three ground balls, and freshmen Honor Breen and Rachel Familetti each chipped in a goal.
Mackenzie Hand made nine saves in goal for the Lions. O’Hara coach Jenny Duckenfield also lauded the defensive play of Kristen Kutufaris, Emily Camuti and Sophia Brown and midfielders Natoli and Ana Ciminera.
“I’m very proud of the girls,” Duckenfield said. “I was very impressed with York Catholic. I thought they were very sound on the draw. We struggled to win the draw and they kept powering it. They were absolutely a tremendous team and this is a big win for us.”
The Lions have bounced back well since losing to Archbishop Carroll in the Catholic League championship game by a lopsided score.
“It’s crazy that we’re in the Final Four,” said Miller, a junior. “I can’t even believe it. After not even being able to play last year, this is such a great achievement for us. I don’t think any of us expected this.
“Duck really is the reason we’re here. She knew what she was doing. In practice we got down everything we needed to. We knew exactly what they were going to do and we knew how to defend them. I think that’s what really set us apart from them.
“We’re very excited, especially if it’s Strath Haven because it’ll be a little Delco face-off, plus that’s where Duck used to coach.”
Cardinal O’Hara 16, York Catholic 12
O’Hara 7-9-16
York Catholic 3-9-12
York Catholic
Olivia Staples 3g
Sydney Mentzer 3g 1a
Shannon Staples 2g 1a
Grace Doyle 2g
Maddie Williams 1g
Maddie Perry 2 saves
Amanda Reed 3 saves
Cardinal O’Hara
Mia Scarduzio 6g 3a
Ellie Miller 5g 2a
Maddie Sharkey 2g
Honor Breen 1g
Rachel Familetti 1g
Claire Natoli 1g
Mackenzie Hand 9 saves
