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Written by Pete Steelman
Fink’s Five-Goal Performance Powers Palmyra into District 3 Semifinals
On Saturday morning, the Palmyra Cougars field hockey team took its next step on the path to repeating as District 3 2A champions, with a second-round matchup against Manheim Central. After wrapping up a 17-1 regular season and securing the #1 seed in the District, Palmyra cruised in its first-round victory over Susquehannock, getting two first-quarter goals from junior Mykah Lechleitner en route to a 7-0 victory on Tuesday night.
Historically, the second round of Districts has been a similarly easy win for the top seeds, but the Barons presented a unique challenge. While their 12-6 record and #8 seed weren’t overly imposing, their late-season surge had them playing more like a #3 seed.
They closed the regular season with a 4-1 dismantling of powerhouse Penn Manor and then dispatched Elizabethtown (#4 seed in District 3) in the LL playoffs. The Cougars, well aware that this Manheim Central team was playing with a ton of confidence and momentum, played perhaps their strongest game of the season, cruising to a 7-0 victory under crisp blue skies on their home turf.
The Cougars started the game with a flurry of first-quarter opportunities, none of which converted. While Palmyra dominated ball possession and had 7 penalty corners, the first period ended with the score still knotted at 0-0.
And then sophomore Allie Fink put on a show for the ages.
Fink scored her first goal on a stick-back in front of the cage early in the second quarter, as you could almost hear the sigh of relief from Cougar fans, finally getting on the board after numerous scoring chances.
Midway through the 2nd quarter, Fink drew gasps from the crowd with what might have been the goal of the season for Palmyra. The Barons had just drawn their first penalty corner of the game, and the Cougar defense did a great job of preventing a shot and sending an outlet across midfield to find the streaking Fink up the left sideline.
Fink then deftly wove through three defenders at the top of the circle, ultimately creating enough space to uncork a vicious reverse chip from the left wing that found the top right corner of the cage for the breathtaking score and a 2-0 halftime lead.
The second half was more of the same, as Fink continued with her offensive heroics, scoring 3 more goals to put the game out of reach. Junior midfielder Addy Barger and 9th grader Annie Weidman also tacked on scores, as the Barons never really penetrated the Cougar defense for any scoring opportunities. The game was out of reach before the 4th quarter began.
Saturday was a bit of an anomaly for Palmyra, whose signature all year has been a balanced scoring attack where often 4 or 5 different players would net goals, leaving defenses unable to just lock down one player.
Today, however, it was the Fink show, and her heroics in attacking the goal were the boost the Cougars needed when the early penalty corners weren’t converting.
With the win, the Cougars move on to the District semifinals. They will next be in action Wednesday night when they host #4 seed Elizabethtown, the LL Section 2 champs who cruised to victory over Kennard-Dale in their quarterfinal matchup.
The win also guarantees Palmyra a berth in the state playoffs, though currently the state playoffs are a distant priority. Right now, this team remains laser-focused on its season-long quest to defend its District title, and Saturday’s win put the rest of District 3 on notice that the Cougars are peaking at the right time.
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