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PLAINS TWP. – All along, Coughlin’s seniority was the thing that set the team apart from the rest of the district.
But, in the biggest game of the season, their most important in four years, it was two underclassman that pushed the Crusaders to the district final and a PIAA tournament berth.
Junior Skyler Panattieri and sophomore Kendall Pearage both scored two goals to provide Coughlin with a 4-0 victory over rival Dallas in the District 2 Class 2A girls soccer semifinal. With the victory, the Crusaders advance to the district championship Wednesday to face Scranton Prep at Wyoming Seminary’s Nesbitt Stadium at 6:30 p.m.
“The thing is you could make all of the adjustments you want but if you don’t have the kids to execute your plan you can’t,” Coughlin coach Joe Spagnuolo Jr. said. “These kids are the most coachable kids I’ve had in a long time. It’s just great for them.”
The Crusaders join the Classics in punching a ticket to the PIAA playoffs. It is Coughlin’s first trip to the state tournament since the spring 2010 season.
Panattieri scored the game-winning goal in the 29th minute. Caroline Majewski hit a shot that was stopped by Dallas’ Rachel Nelligan. Panattieri took the rebound and executed it into the net.
The first half went back and forth with Dallas having several chances to even the score. Like it had all season, Coughlin came out of the break to make some adjustments. Four minutes into the second half, a Mary Tona forward pass bounced over the Dallas keeper and Pearage shelved it into the net.
From that point, the Dallas offense staggered to get the ball past midfield. The Mountaineers only garnered one shot on goal – one saved by a Coughlin defender – in the second half. Coughlin’s wide-open style allowed the defense to break apart from its shell and toy with the Dallas scheme.
“The second goal is what really broke our backs,” Dallas coach Abe Lewis said. “It was kind of an uphill fight from there. And then when we started to shift the lineup around and move people up, it just opens things up in our defense.”
Panattieri headed a ball into the net straight off a Pearage direct kick in the 59th minute. Pearage and Panattieri switched roles in the 73rd when the former one-timed a screamer off a clear for her fifth point of the night.
“I was pretty excited,” Panattieri said. “It felt like I had to go out and do that for the team. We have so many seniors and it’s their last year to play. So we did it for them.”
Coughlin outshot the Mountaineers 15-5 and allowed only two shots on goal.
The Dallas seniors – comprised of former Times Leader Player of the Year Ruby Mattson, Tiffany Zukosky, Katie Snedeker and Katie Kravitz – finished a career that saw them lose just eight games in four years, including playoffs. The group made it to the state’s second round twice, district finals twice, and earned a district title in 2014.
“The group of seniors is a special group in the sense that they accomplished a lot in their four years,” Lewis said. “I can’t be more proud of that group. The record speaks for itself for that senior class.”
Coughlin 4, Dallas 0
Dallas`0`0`—`0
Coughlin`1`3`—`4
First half — 1. COU, Skyler Panattieri (Caroline Majewski), 29th minute. Second half — 2. COU, Kendall Pearage (Mary Tona), 44th; 3. COU, Panattieri (Pearage), 59th; 4. COU, Pearage (Panattieri), 73th.
Shots — DAL 5, COU 15. Saves — DAL (Rachel Nelligan) 5; COU (Paige Davis) 2. Corner kicks — DAL 2, COU 6.
