By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/11/23
The motivation for both teams was clear as Springfield-Delco, the top-ranked Class 3A team in District 1, hosted two-time defending Class 2A state champion Archbishop Carroll Thursday afternoon in a regular-season finale.
The Cougars (ranked No. 3 by Phillylacrosse.com) looked to finish undefeated against the No. 1 Patriots in a game that matched teams that have goals of playing at Penn State next month for state titles.
Carroll led from the start and used its favorite saying, “be ready to help” as the Patriots worked their offensive schemes well, executed on draws and played solid defense in claiming a 13-7 decision over the Central League champs.
“Jess Lake, one of our assistant coaches who couldn’t be here today, and Brooke (Watson, another assistant) are always saying that,” Carroll head coach Lorraine Beers said of the origin of the team slogan. “It means all of them always have to be ready to back each other up, play good team defense and work hard.
“This is a good win for our girls. So many of the Springfield players have been their club teammates on Phantastix teams. It was a nice game played by two good teams.”
After 10 minutes both teams had scored three goals. While the Carroll (17-1) defense was holding Springfield (16-1) scoreless for the rest of the opening half, Catie McConaghy tossed in two scores and Samantha Hewitt (three goals, one assist) got a goal and an assist to put the Pats up 6-3 at the break.
The teams traded three goals apiece for the next 13 minutes before Carroll took over control with a four-goal run in nine minutes. Hewitt’s third goal of the game came five minutes before Chloe Bleckley came up with her second score for the Patriots.
Carroll’s final two goals came from the stick of Ava Bleckley, who completed her second-half hat trick with an assist from Machaela Henry (two goals, two assists).
“Machaela Henry really made things happen today,” Beers said. “Whether it was getting us started on draws or scoring goals or getting assists.”
The draw control numbers favored Carroll, 16-6, with Chloe Bleckley claiming six, Ava Bleckley five and Henry getting four.
Sophomore Maddie Kane scored three goals and was the only Springfield player with more than one draw control (two).
“We’ve had games recently where we weren’t very strong on the draws,” Ava Bleckley said. “We know how important the draws are. It’s all about getting possession and then being able to score when we have the ball.
“Last year, we were the team that was undefeated going into the playoffs. We knew what that meant for us then, but we also knew that this is a different year and we weren’t the undefeated team today. You don’t go undefeated without hard work, and you don’t beat an undefeated team without working hard.”
Carroll goalie Bridget Robinson turned aside 7 shots and relied on Meg Sheridan, Ava Bleckley, Sienna Golden and Ella Wright for defensive support.
“We knew No. 24 (Erin DeStefano) was their strongest attack player,” Ava Bleckley said. “That’s where being ready to help came in. We wanted to stick on her and didn’t want to let her be able to go to goal.”
Carroll (17-1) will be off until Wednesday, when it will host a Catholic League semifinal game. The Pats haven’t lost to a Catholic League opponent in more than 20 years.
Springfield will be home Thursday to host a PIAA District 1 second-round contest.
“I told them to ask themselves how many of them felt when we started that we would be 16-1 at the end of the regular season?” Cougars head coach Keith Broome said.
“We know that there are things we have to do before we start the playoffs. Today (Carroll) killed us on the draws. (Defender) Allie Hunter did a good job, but Carroll played well. They are a very tough team. We’ll get back to work before we have to play again.”
Archbishop Carroll 13, Springfield-Delco 7
A. Carroll 6-7-13
Springfield-D 3-4-7
Carroll
Chloe Bleckley 2g, 6dc
Cate McConaghy 2g
Sam Hewitt 3g, 1a
Machaela Henry 2g, 2a, 3dc
Ava Bleckley 3g, 5dc
Brooke Hippert 1g
Ella Wright 1dc
Bridget Robinson 7 saves
Springfield-Delco
Jaclyn Gaille 2g
Maddie Kane 3g
Kylee O’Donnell 1g
Mia Valerio 1g
Maddie McBride 5 saves