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Berwick teammates Bella Jaffin (22) and Caty Davenport (3) both go for a header in the first half of Wednesday’s District 2 girls soccer playoff played in Lehman.

PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER

LEHMAN TWP. – Berwick’s 4-0 victory over Holy Redeemer in the District 2 girls soccer semifinals on Wednesday afternoon looked mighty familiar.

Like it had been played before. And in a sense, it was just 12 days ago.

That victory on May 13 – by the same margin but a 6-2 score – gave Berwick a shot at the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1-A title, which it eventually won. Wednesday’s win was even bigger for the Dawgs (14-1-1) as they go for their first district title since 2008 when they play Coughlin (13-2-1) at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lake-Lehman High School.

In both games, Berwick jumped out quickly on Redeemer (7-8). Karleigh Hartman scored in the eighth minute, assisted Olivia Rupp in the 20th minute and then scored again in the 30th.

“That was the gameplan,” Berwick coach Paul DiPippa said. “I was pleased with that for sure.”

Hartman has played a big part since Berwick moved to the postseason. After not scoring during the regular season, she has five goals in three playoff games.

“Two today, two Monday,” DiPippa said. “She’s very quiet, but she got a little confidence. I believed all season (she needed) a little confidence. She’s just going to grow from there.

“I’m proud of all of my girls. It was hot and we didn’t give up. We were relentless. We asked them to do that, and that’s what they did.”

Hartman’s first goal came right in front of the net off a short ground pass from Bella Jaffin, who has been Berwick’s big gun throughout her four-year career. Rupp followed up her own slow roller and gave the ball another whack to score.

Caty Davenport assisted Hartman’s second goal with a cross from the right side. Davenport finished up the scoring early in the second half when her 16-yard ground somehow managed to find its way through several players from both squads.

Redeemer was also trying to get to a District 2 title game for the first time since 2008.

“Our girls gave 100 percent,” Redeemer coach Bob Hughes said. “That’s what I told them before the game. As long as they go out there and gave everything they got, we’d be happy win or lose.”

Holy Redeemer

0
0

0

Berwick

3
1

4

First half: 1. BER, Karleigh Hartman (Bella Jaffin), 8th min; 2. BER, Olivia Rupp (Hartman), 20th; 3. BER, Hartman (Caty Davenport), 30th; Second half: 4. BER, Davenport (Abby Takacs), 49th.

Shots: HR 3, BER 14; Saves: HR 4 (Sarabeth Kolodiej), BER 3 (Sarah Wilczynski); Corners: HR 4, BER 2.