Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — As a two-time state championship catcher on Holy Redeemer’s powerful softball team, Abby Shorts has experienced plenty of postseason success.

She made sure it carried straight to the field hockey pitch.

Shorts hit a hat trick through a 16-minute span of the second half that helped top-seeded Holy Redeemer crack open a tight game and break away from Berwick, 8-0 in a District 2 Class A field hockey playoff game Monday at Hollenback Park.

“Either way, it’s exciting,” Shorts said of making playoff runs in both sports. “Field hockey’s really exciting. I view it differently from another sport. I’m really happy we’re doing so well this season.”

Shorts helped make sure the season-long run of prosperity continues for 13-0 Holy Redeemer. The Royals marked their return to the district playoffs after a year absence with a commanding victory, and rewarded their first-year head coach Maura McCormick with her first postseason win.

“It’s really exciting,” McCormick said.

It took the Royals straight into Wednesday’s Class A district semifinal against Northwest, which defeated Meyers 4-1 in another quarterfinal game Monday. The winner of the semifinals will advance to the District 2 title game next Tuesday and earn a spot in the PIAA Class 2A playoffs.

Nursing a 2-0 lead in the opening moments of the second half, Shorts flew toward the circle on a breakaway and fired Redeemer’s third goal into the cage to give the Royals some breathing room.

“It was a 50-50 game for the first half,” Shorts said, describing the even play of the teams. “Once we got to the second half and scored on that first play, I think we felt like we had it.”

The shot pretty much broke the dam Berwick built over the first portion of the game.

Kayla Serafin added another goal for Redeemer some three minutes after Shorts scored her first goal of the second half. Then Shorts, a senior forward, cracked the game wide open. She hit two more goals in rapid succession, the first coming off a penalty corner with 18 minutes to play and her hat trick goal coming on a point-blank shot from the center of the circle that gave Redeemer a six-goal lead with 12:30 remaining.

“She’s one of our top scorers,” McCormick said. “Being a senior, I know these games are really important to her. She won’t be on this field again after Wednesday. She wants to play her hardest. And she’s doing that.”

For awhile, the battle against Berwick — a team Redeemer defeated twice during the regular seaosn — was a little harder than the Royals could have expected.

The inspired Bulldogs stood toe-to-toe with Wyoming Valley Conference champion Redeemer, keeping the game scoreless through the first 13 minutes. Emily Easton got the Royals on the board with a score off a pass from Kat Finnegan midway through the first half.

But Redeeemer struggled to find offensive success through the remainder of the opening half, until Leah Mullery lifted a second goal for the Royals into the goal just 62 seconds from halftime.

“Anything can happen in the playoffs,” Shorts said.

What happened in the first 30 minutes didn’t really sit well with McCormick.

“Our coach got us pumped up,” Shorts said, “and made us realize we needed to get the score up more. We came out in the second half and just did what she wanted.”

Finnegan and Fahey added the final goals of the game for Redeemer, a relentless defense held Berwick to just one shot, and now, the Royals want even more.

“I think we’re pretty confident,” Shorts said. “We work hard, and that’s where our confidence comes from. We’ve worked so hard this year. Everything’s finally paying off.

“It means a lot.”

Northwest 4, Meyers 1

Sydney Franchellascored the first and last goals for the fifth-seeded Rangers, who upended No. 4 Meyers to reach a District 2 semifinal game for the first time in Northwest history.

The Rangers will face top-seeded Holy Redeemer on Wednesday for the right to advance to the District 2 Class A championship game and earn a berth in the state playoffs.

Amber Miller registered a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who built a 3-0 halftime lead and scored the game’s first four goals.

Wyoming Seminary 8, Hanover Area 0

Aubrey Mytych erupted with three goals and three assists as the Blue Knights opened the District 2 Class A playoffs by hammering the Hawkeyes in the second half of a quarterfinal game.

Mytych assisted on Alicia Carr’s opening goal and scored a goal of her own 24 seconds before intermission as Sem took a 2-0 lead into the second half. Over the final 30 minutes, Mytych hit two more goals and two more assists as the Blue Knights roared into Wednesday’s District 2 semifinals against Lake-Lehman.

Hannah Maxwell finished with two goals and an assist in the victory, Alex Wesneski had a goal and two assists for Sem and Carr wound up with a goal and an assist.

Lake-Lehman 5, Wyoming Area 1

Carey-Anne Keiper opened the postseason with a hat trick and Sarah Sabaluski tossed in a goal and an assist as the Black Knights stormed past Wyoming Area and into a District 2 semifinal showdown with Wyoming Seminary on Wednesday.

Keiper scored the game’s first goal just over four minutes into the night, then added another goal that gave Lehman a 3-0 lead later in the first half.

Keiper and Sabuluski scored goals in the second half to give the Black Knights breathing room, after Lauren Parente pulled Wyoming Area within 3-1 with a goal in the 19th minute of the opening half. Izzy Radel added two assists in the District 2 Class A quarterfinal victory.

Katie Wolfgang made 10 stops in goal during the defeat.

Class 3A semfinal

Hazleton Area 1, Delaware Valley 0

Meleah Hoats scored the only goal with 5:43 to play as the Cougars advanced to the District 2 Class 3A title game for the second consecutive season and second time in school history.

Hazleton Area will play for the district title at Lackawanna Trail on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to a state play-in game next week against the District 6 champion.

Hoats hit her winning score off an assist from Mikayla Cavenas, and Margaret Fulton stopped all eight Delaware Valley shots to lock down the shutout and a spot in the distirct final.

District 2 Playoffs

Class A Quarterfinals

Holy Redeemer 8, Berwick 0

Berwick`0`0`—`0

Holy Redeemer`2`6`—`8

First half — 1. HR, Emily Easton (Kat Finnegan), 16:56; 2. HR, Leah Mullery, 1:02. Second half — 3. HR, Abby Shorts, 28:21; 4. HR, Kayla Serafin, 25:12; 5. HR, Shorts, 18:00; 6. HR, Shorts, 12:30; 7. HR, Finnegan (Devyn Boich), 10:25; 8. HR, Caton Fahey (Kayla Kruk), 1:00.

Shots — BER 1; HR 11. Saves — BER 3 (Becca Decker); HR 1 (Randi Kuhar). Penalty corners — BER 2; HR 5.

Northwest 4, Meyers 1

Northwest`3`1`—`4

Meyers`0`1`—`1

First half — 1. NW, Sydney Franchella, 21:17; 2. NW, Kiersten Eddinger (Reilly Bialko), 8:31; 3. NW, Amber Miller, 3:46. Second half — 4. NW, Franchella (Miller), 20:18; 5. MEY, Sara Mangold (Kendra Krolick), 16:50.

Shots — NW 12; MEY 4. Saves — NW 3 (Jackie Jones); MEY 8 (Olivia Jackson). Penalty corners — NW 16; MEY 3.

Wyoming Seminary 8, Hanover Area 0

Hanover Area`0`0`—`0

Wyoming Seminary`2`6`—`8

First half — 1. SEM, Alicia Carr (Aubrey Mytych), 28:48; 2. SEM, Mytych (Hannah Maxwell), 0:24. Second half — 3. SEM, Mytych (Alex Wesneski), 29:42; 4. SEM, Maxwell (Mytych), 19:15; 5. SEM, Julia Christian, 18:54; 6. SEM, Mytych (Wesneski), 16:03; 7. SEM, Maxwell (Carr), 5:32; 8. SEM, Wesneski (Mytych), 3:00.

Scorer (assist), time.

Shots — HAN 0; SEM 26. Saves — HAN 18 (Chrissy Kratz); SEM 0 (Alexis Sokach). Penalty corners — HAN 0; SEM 11.

Lake-Lehman 5, Wyoming Area 1

Wyoming Area`1`0`—`1

Lake-Lehman`3`2`—`5

First half — 1. LL, Carey-Anne Keiper (Izzy Radel), 25:50; 2. LL, Lilli Stepanski (Taylor Alba), 24:39; 3. LL, Keiper (Sarah Sabaluski), 18:33; 4. WA, Lauren Parente (Emilie Wanko), 10:38. Second half — 6. LL, Keiper (Radel), 23:33; 7. LL, Sabaluski, 8:57.

Shots — WA 2; LL 15. Saves — WA 10 (Katie Wolfgang); LL 1 (Alicia Galasso). Penalty corners — WA 6; LL 11.

Class 3A semifinal

Hazleton Area 1, Delaware Valley 0

Delaware Valley`0`0`—`0

Hazleton Area`0`1`—`1

Second half — 1. HAZ, Meleah Hoats (Mikayla Cavenas), 5:43.

Shots — DV 8; HAZ 7. Saves — DV 6 (Meghan Kelly); HAZ 8 (Margaret Fulton). Penalty corners — DV 3; HAZ 8.

Holy Redeemer’s Kayla Kruk, left, is guarded by Berwick’s Sammi Starr while trying to maintain possession during the field hockey game at Hollenback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, October 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102516BerwickRedeemer1.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer’s Kayla Kruk, left, is guarded by Berwick’s Sammi Starr while trying to maintain possession during the field hockey game at Hollenback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, October 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Berwick’s Haley Stein, right, tries to steal the ball from Holy Redeemer’s Kat Finnegan during the district field hockey game at Hollenaback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, October 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102516BerwickRedeemer2.jpg.optimal.jpgBerwick’s Haley Stein, right, tries to steal the ball from Holy Redeemer’s Kat Finnegan during the district field hockey game at Hollenaback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, October 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Holy Redeemer’s Leah Mullery (3), controls the ball as Berwick’s Sammi Starr eyes up the steal during the field hockey game at Hollenback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, September 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102516BerwickRedeemer3.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer’s Leah Mullery (3), controls the ball as Berwick’s Sammi Starr eyes up the steal during the field hockey game at Hollenback Park in Wilkes-Barre on Monday, September 24. 10/24/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader
Holy Redeemer senior star scores hat trick in her latest postseason success

By Paul Sokoloski

[email protected]

District 2 Field Hockey

Playoff Schedule

Class 3A

Monday’s Semifinal

No. 3 Delaware Valley (7-7) at No. 2 Hazleton Area (7-5-2), 6 p.m.

Wednesday’s District 2 championship

Delaware Valley/Hazleton Area at No. 1 Lackawanna Trail (8-5-1)

Nov. 2 District 2/6 Final

District 2 winner vs. District 6 winner, at Bald Eagle Area HS

Class 2A

Tuesday’s Quarterfinals

No. 5 Honesdale (4-9-1) at No. 4 Coughlin (8-6), 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 Wallenpaupack (4-10) at No. 3 Dallas (8-6), 4:30 p.m.

Thursday’s Semifinals

Honesdale/Coughlin at No. 1 Crestwood (11-2-1)

Wallenpaupack-Dallas at No. 2 Wyoming Valley West (10-2-2)

Nov. 1 championship

Semifinal winners, at Wyoming Seminary

Class A

Monday’s Quarterfinals

Holy Redeemer 8, Berwick 0

No. 5 Northwest (8-4) at No. 4 Meyers (9-3), 4 p.m.

No. 6 Hanover Area (6-6) at No. 3 Wyoming Seminary (12-2), 4:30 p.m.

No. 7 Wyoming Area (6-8) at No. 2 Lake-Lehman (13-0-1), 7 p.m.

Wednesday’s Semifinals

Berwick/Holy Redeemer vs. Northwest/Meyers

Hanover Area/Wyoming Seminary vs. Wyoming Area/Lake-Lehman

Nov. 1 championship

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m. at Wyoming Valley West or Crestwood

Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski

VideoID: H4rO9T0rb7w
VideoType: YOU TUBE
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4rO9T0rb7w
Video Embed String:
Video Caption: Serafin and Holy Redeemer shine
Video Credit: Paul Sokoloski | Times Leader
Video Position:

(use the “for files…” link above to associate attached files with this source)