Another banner year for Shady Side Academy field hockey

By: George Guido
Saturday, November 13, 2021 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

It was another outstanding season for the Shady Side Academy field hockey team.

The Bulldogs rolled to their fourth consecutive WPIAL title with a 1-0 victory over Aquinas Academy at Washington & Jefferson College’s Cameron Stadium.

It was Shady Side’s 11th straight appearance in the WPIAL finals.

The season came to a screeching halt in the opening round of the PIAA tournament as the Bulldogs (11-2) fell 1-0 to Lancaster Mennonite at Michael J. Farrell Stadium.

Rebecca Lane tallied the game’s only goal, and it made the four-hour ride back to Lancaster for the Blazers a pleasant one.

The loss didn’t spoil another successful season for the Shady Side Academy program.

“This was a beautiful game to watch. Our girls all came together,” coach Betsy Gorse said. “This is just the icing on the cake. Obviously, we wish this would have turned out different and we’d be moving on. But to go out on a note like this, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”

Jenny Woodings was one of several girls who played on all four championship teams.

“I’ve never had an experience like this,” Woodings said.”To be a part of our team that has won four years in a row is a wonderful feeling and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Woodings, who led the Bulldogs with 14 goals, is headed for the University of Florida and will play lacrosse while in Gainesville.

Gorse returned to the varsity coaching ranks just in time to pilot the team to four straight titles.

“I’m a teacher in the middle school, and I moved there and started a program,” Gorse said. “So I had a hand a lot of these girls all coming through the middle school program. I watched from afar, and the opportunity presented itself when they asked me to come back and I wanted to.”

Last year, Shady Side Academy defeated Forbes Road in the quarterfinals before losing to Greenwood in the covid-shortened PIAA playoffs.

Teams from the eastern and central sectors of the state have often dominated PIAA play. Last Tuesday, all three WPIAL title-winners — Pine-Richland, Penn-Trafford and Shady Side — all lost their opening round games.

Lancaster Mennonite, for instance, was the No. 4 team from District 3.

“They’re a powerhouse,” Gorse said. “District 3 had seven double-A teams. There’s a huge amount of popularity in that area. Western Pa. has come a long way. When I first started 30 years ago, there were nine (teams). We got up to 20, then we lost a few and have 18. We’re taking the right steps. We’re pushing the boundaries.”

At a small school like Shady Side, many athletes play multiple sports. Freshman Nelly Hawn takes that notion to a different level.

On Oct. 30, Hawn played in an ice hockey game at 12:15 p.m. When that game was over, her grandmother drove her to Washington for the WPIAL title game. As if that wasn’t enough, while her teammates were celebrating another WPIAL title, Hawn took off for another hockey game.

Despite coming from different areas in the Pittsburgh region, Bulldogs players have developed a closeness as the secret to their success.

“I think one thing about our team is that we’re really close,” Woodings said. “In the offseason, we work on our skills and we work on our friendship.”

The postseason awards are now rolling in as five Bulldogs were named to the all-WPIAL Coaches Class A team.

Along with Woodings, junior goalkeeper Thea Conomikes had a .900 save percentage and was named to the team.

Midfielder CeCe Messner, who had seven goals, was also selected, along with fellow senior Marnie McCormick, a defender.

Junior midfielder Kate Nury rounds out Shady Side’s contingent on the all-WPIAL team.

Tags: Shady Side Academy