Pease
Abington Heights won its first seven Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 field hockey games, outscoring opponents, 34-1, in the process, opening a 1½-game lead and making progress toward the possibility of a first division title since 2008.
The 2008 team won Division 2, the middle division in a three-division format at the time.
The Comets were 8-3 overall through Oct. 4, losing three of four games to teams from the stronger of the WVC’s two divisions, but still producing a high enough power rating to lead the eight-team race for the top seed in the District 2-4 Class 2A Subregional playoffs.
The power rating has Abington Heights positioned to host up to two playoff games. Home playoff games have been a rarity for a program that went through some extreme struggles in the aftermath of the most recent championship.
The only goal allowed in the first seven division games came on the road at second-place Pittston Area in a 2-1 victory Sept. 15.
Caroline Pease and Marygrace Sabatini scored goals in the final 4:16 of the first half, both on assists from Madison Zaleski.
Pittston Area had an 8-6 lead in penalty corners and the shots on goal were even.
Goaltender Emma Newman made seven saves and Emily Bartell added a defensive save.
The Comets were much more decisive in their two most recent division games, beating defending champion Wallenpaupack, 3-0, Sept. 22 and handling third-place Nanticoke, 6-0, on the road Sept. 27.
Pease scored the last two goals at home against Wallenpaupack.
Zalewski scored 1:20 into the game.
Sabatini, Amelia Gonzales and Elliot had assists for Abington Heights, which had advantages of 13-1 in both shots on goal and penalty corners.
Abington Heights held Nanticoke without a shot and got two goals and an assist from Pease.
Pease had a hat trick and Peyton Pallman scored twice during a 7-0 win over Hanover Area.
Lackawanna Trail
The Lady Lions are 7-4 overall against a difficult schedule.
Included is a 4-1 win over neighbor Abington Heights in a non-league game and the four losses coming by a total of seven goals against 40-4. Three of the four losses have come on the road.
The Lady Lions are 1-3 in games against the teams leading three District 2 playoff races for top seeds.
Lackawanna Trail snapped a two-game losing streak Oct. 3 by beating Wilkes-Barre Area, 2-1.
The Lady Lions kept the pressure on throughout a Sept. 14 loss at Lake-Lehman, which got 21 saves from goalie Faye Post and five defensive saves from Rachel Galasso.
Lena Ryon and Tea Burns scored in the loss.
The defense has two shutouts and has held four other opponents to a single goal.
