CLARKS SUMMIT – Abington Heights ended a 14-year stretch without a Wyoming Valley Conference field hockey title, taking it a step further by winning all 14 games on its Division 2 schedule on the way to the championship.
The Comets last won a division title, also in Division 2, in the middle of a three-division setup in 2008. The WVC currently operates in a two-division format.
Abington Heights closed the regular season on an eight-game winning streak as part of a 15-4 season overall.
The Comets outscored divisional opponents, 62-4, and clinched the championship with two games still remaining when they defeated Berwick, 6-2, Oct. 19.
Midfielder Madison Zalewski, the team’s season points leader, had three goals and three assists in the clincher. She had two of each in the first quarter for a 4-0 lead.
Peyton Pallman assisted both Zalewski scores, then added the fifth goal in the third quarter.
Caroline Pease and Carly Miller also scored. Kaylyn Elliott assisted Zalewski’s final goal after Berwick had closed within 5-2.
“Last year, we just couldn’t score,” Abington Heights coach Glenn Carr said. “We couldn’t find the back of the net. We’d have 50 shots in a game and we would maybe score one or two goals. This year, we’d have maybe 20 shots in a game and score five or six goals.
“It was just about converting in the circle.”
Zalewski finished with 18 goals and a team-high 14 assists.
Pease led in goals with 21 and had five assists.
Pallman added 14 goals and five assists, Elliott three goals and 10 assists, Marygrace Sabatini two goals and nine assists, Carly Yankow four goals and three assists and Miller three goals and five assists.
Emma Newman made 67 saves in goal and Emily Bartell added five defensive saves.
Lackawanna Trail went 6-4 and tied Crestwood for fifth place out of 11 teams in Division 1.
