Field Hockey: Palmyra Shuts Out Northern to Reach District Championship

Written by Tommy Steelman

Steelman is a senior at Palmyra & a member of the Cougars Football team.

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Over the last two seasons, the Palmyra–Northern York field hockey rivalry has seen plenty of action. Whether it’s been overtime thrillers or battles for home-field advantage, these matchups have never failed to deliver. The highly anticipated District 3 2A Semifinal lined up the top-seeded Cougars hosting the No. 4 Polar Bears — the third meeting between the teams this season.

The first quarter was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to generate offense. Late in the period, the Cougars earned a corner, but the Polar Bear defense stepped up and shut them down.

Palmyra came out strong to start the second quarter, attacking early and drawing multiple corners while keeping constant pressure on Northern’s defense. Their persistence paid off when senior defender AJ Walker fired home a shot off a broken corner, giving the Cougars a 1–0 lead. The rest of the half went back and forth, with both teams creating chances, but the score remained 1–0 heading into halftime.

The Polar Bears came out of the break on a mission, drawing a corner in the opening minute, but Palmyra’s defense stood tall. The Cougars maintained control for most of the third quarter, dominating possession. With under two minutes to play in the period, they lined up for another corner — and executed perfectly. Sophomore Maddie Stahl rocketed one into the back of the cage to make it 2–0. Palmyra’s defense continued its lockdown performance, and the Cougars carried that lead into the fourth.

The final quarter was more of the same, with Palmyra dictating the pace and keeping Northern’s offense in check. When the Polar Bears found scoring opportunities, the Cougar defense held firm, completing the shutout victory.

The Cougars now advance to the District 3 Championship, where they’ll take on powerhouse rival Warwick. The Warriors eliminated Palmyra in both the District and State semifinals last season — giving the Cougars plenty of extra motivation this time around.

Scoring Summary

Goals (Assists)

• Palmyra: AJ Walker (#25), 2nd Quarter – 10:41 (Corner)

• Palmyra: Maddie Stahl (#10), 4th Quarter – 12:21 (Assist: Leigha Kane #17, Corner)

Team Statistics

• Shots on Goal: Northern 3, Palmyra 12

• Penalty Corners: Northern 4, Palmyra 8

• Defensive Saves: Northern 0, Palmyra 0

• Goalkeeper Saves: Northern – Lauryn Hose (#00), 10; Palmyra – Abby Bennett (#80), 3