Previewing the District One Girls Soccer Championship: Pennridge vs Council Rock South

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

The Golden Hawks were expected to be at Souderton on Saturday night for the Class AAA District One girls soccer championship. Widely regarded as one of the top teams in P.A., the top seed team in the district beat Upper Dublin, Conestoga and Central Bucks West in order to be playing for a title.
The Rams were awarded the seventh seed in District One, but wins over W.C. Rustin, Avon Grove, C.B. South and W.C. East have the girls in green going for their second championship in three years.

The edge points to the C.R. South taking home the title, in what should be another overtime or penalty kick game, but the Rams have the talent and the experience on the pitch and no one would be that shocked if they are receiving the trophy at night's end.
I will not predict a winner, because I have seen South play twice and Pennridge plays at least six times, but I do think I can break down the game. How about 1-0 win for whoever it is? That seems like a safe bet.

Goalkeepers: This will be Ashley Schoellkopf's second year in net for the Rams' deep playoff run. She has made the occasional scary charge out of net on a rolling ball, but it is her aggressive style that makes her one of the best in the area. Give her clear vision of the attempt and she will typically stuff it. For the Hawks, Lolo Buonomo and Samantha Lawson have splitting duties all season. In the semifinal match against the Bucks, the senior keeper Buonomo showed her prowess by saving the first two shots in penalty kicks.

Midfielders: The two teams both are loaded with experienced leaders, but they bring a different aspect to the field. The Hawks, led by Cara Deola at center mid is a playmaker. Her footwork and soft touch allows her forwards to finish more often than not. Deola is not afraid to take a shot on goal herself and is clearly who the Hawk they want with possession with the game on the line. The Rams have a physical and a slightly more defensive midfield. Led by Maggie Butcher and Kate Wiley, the tandem wins the majority of free balls and shuts down developing plays. Look for Butcher in the box on restarts and corners and Wiley will fire on goal from 35-to-40 yards at any time.

Forwards: Both teams are just loaded with speed at the attacking positions. The Hawks have multiple girls that will win 30 yard sprints to the corner, but the Rams' have sophomore Natalia Pinkney, probably the fastest girl I have seen all season. Pinkney is still learning to bust it 110 percent on every play she on the pitch for, but even at 90 percent she has been a game changer, including the assist in overtime of the semifinal match against West Chester East.

Defensive Backs: If Pinkney is not the fastest girl I have seen, than it is Mary Cate Callahan. The senior center back can put her two sense in on offense then recover and stop a quick transition like no other. The Rams had two stud center backs in Aislinn Roberts and Carly Henry, but Roberts is done for the year with a knee injury and Henry should play, but missed the semifinal match with a soar hamstring.

Difference maker: How will Rams' coach Jorge Rodriguez use his two best players Stevi Parker and Bridgette Hess. Due to the injuries Parker and Hess have move to the back line to sure up the defense, but it only took four minutes for Hess to score once she was moved to forward for the second OT against the Vikings. If I was the Rams' coach I would try to score early by alternating Parker and Hess up top and pack it in once you take the lead.
The Hawks are healthy, favorites and the confidence has never waned. They expect to win and if they have any inkling of their opponent first year head coach John Oberhotzler knows how to take advanatge of it.

It's an obvious statement, but who ever scores first will win this game. Probably because it will be the lone goal. And whoever losses this game will still be a big threat to make a run at a state championship and those playoffs will begin on Tuesday.

Week 10 Montgomery Media HS Football Predictions (winner in yellow)
Germantown Academy @ Malvern Prep
Jenkintown @ New Hope-Solebury
Plymouth-Whitemarsh @ Norristown
Souderton @ Quakertown
Springfield @ Morrisville
Upper Moreland @ Upper Merion
Lower Moreland @ Bristol
Cheltenham @ Wissahickon
William Tennent @ Abington
Owen J. Roberts @ Perkiomen Valley
Hatboro-Horsham @ Central Bucks West
Spring-Ford @ Pottstown
Methacton @ Boyertown
Pennridge @ North Penn
LaSalle @ Father Judge
Archbishop Wood @ Archbishop Carroll
Academy of the New Church @ George School
Bishop McDevitt @ West Catholic

Last week's record: 16-4

Overall record: 114-48

*did not predict in week 1