Bermudian Springs, Central York to play for YAIAA field hockey championship

The two teams that will face off in the final of the YAIAA field hockey tournament on Saturday have a lot in common.

Both Bermudian Springs and Central York won their respective divisions this season.

In their semifinal matches at Bermudian Springs High School on Thursday night, both teams shut out their opponents and scored two goals each.

Both teams have competed in the YAIAA title game before. However, neither has won it, making the final at Susquehannock one with historic heft for the winning team.

Bermudian Springs 2, Red Lion 0

In front of a home crowd and an exuberant student section, the 3-seeded Eagles had a "jump for joy moment" in the second half against Red Lion, the 7th seed, according to senior Kayla Pyles.

With Red Lion forward Jillian Sleeth streaking down the field on a breakaway, senior Bermudian goalie Melaina Shoop had no hesitation, rushing forward to stymie Red Lion's best scoring chance of the contest.

Pyles called the save "phenomenal."

"I wish we could have called a time out, and I could have ran back and hugged her," Pyles said. "That would have been the best ever."

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Breakaways are "stressful" for goalies, according to Shoop.

"It's kind of hard to decide what you want to do in those types of situations, but I went for it, and it worked," she added.

It was especially encouraging for a keeper who struggled during summer workouts and scrimmages, according to Eagles head coach Neil Bixler.

"She was just a different goalie," Bixler said. "She's just been spot on all year. When there's a save to make, she makes it."

Shoop has only allowed two goals all season, thanks in part to the Eagles' stellar defense.

It's a symbiotic relationship, according to Pyles.

"The defensive players out there trust her 100 percent," Pyles said. "We know (Shoop) has every capability to stop any ball that's going to come her way, and if she calls for ball, we know she's going to stop it."

It also helps to have a "beast in the middle" of the field, as Bixler described Pyles.

Pyles assisted on both of the Eagles' goals, the initial one in the first half scored by Kaitlyn McCollum and the second by Hailey Lamo with ten minutes left to play.

The Lions had several corner opportunities in the game's final minutes, and they were repeatedly blown up by the long-limbed Pyles.

"She's going to have a couple welts, but that's the game," Bixler said.

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The win gives the undefeated Eagles another opportunity for their first victory in the YAIAA tournament final, a year after they were upset by New Oxford.

"It would be the one thing has sort of eluded us a little bit," Bixler said.

The Eagles delivered payback to the Colonials on Tuesday, and now they will have another shot at the York-Adams title.

"It would mean everything," Shoop said. "We've been going after this thing since freshman year."

Bermudian Springs 2, Red Lion 0
First half: 1. BS, Kaitlyn McCollum (Kayla Pyles), 7:17.
Second half: 1. BS, Hailey Lamo (Kayla Pyles), 9:27.
Shots: Bermudian Springs 16, Red Lion 8.
Corners: Bermudian Springs 12, Red Lion 8.
Saves: Red Lion: Allie Anderson (6), Bermudian Springs: Melaina Shoop (5). 

Central York 2, Dallastown 0

In the later and chillier match of the night, there were scant scoring opportunities from either squad.

But the Panther defense made the difference.

"We stayed together," Central York coach Lori Livingston said. "We played as a team."

In their quarterfinal game against Eastern York, Livingston felt the team's back end played too far up the field. They were more stout on Thursday.

"I think they did a very, very good job of staying back and playing good defense and trying to pick up all the loose balls that came through," Livingston said.

Scoring opportunities were rare in the physical match, with the top-seeded Panthers holding the edge in shots over the No.5 seed, five to three.

"Sometimes we have lots of opportunities and don't always take advantage of them, and this time I think we've taken advantage of the few opportunities that we had," Livingston said.

The Panthers' first goal came in the first half after a corner from senior Kaitlyn Merritt was smacked toward the goal by senior Kyra Heap. Merritt was right on top of the goal to clean up and get the score.

The second goal came minutes into the second half when freshman Grace Harrold scored unassisted.

The Panthers started four freshman — Harrold, Victoria Whitehead, Emilee Myers and goalie Sydney Valdes.

"I have four freshman that play, and they all do a great job," Linvingston said. "I can't ask any more of them."

The Panthers last made the YAIAA tournament final in 2014 when they were defeated by Gettysburg.

It would be great to notch the school's first win at the tournament, Livingston said.

"That's what everyone's been working for the whole year," she said.

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Although she has not seen much of the Eagles, she expects her team to face a tough defense on Saturday.

What could make the difference? The skillful passing from the Panthers.

"That is our strength when we use it," Livingston said. "Sometimes we forget about it, but, for the most part, it is our strength, and that's what we do, and we use our speed and our passing and that gets us down the field."

Central York 2, Dallastown 0
First half: 1. CY, Kaitlyn Merritt (Kyra Heap), 21:50.
Second half: 1. CY, Grace Harrold (unassisted), 27:10.
Shots: Central York 5, Dallastown 3.
Corners: Central York 6, Dallastown 1.
Saves: Dallastown: Piper Glattacker (2), Central York: Sydney Valdes (1).