Penn-Trafford field hockey wins 2nd consecutive WPIAL title

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 | 10:06 PM

A season of on-the-job training for players at Penn-Trafford evidently has helped the Warriors' relatively inexperienced field hockey team to gradually grow up, a notion that was accentuated Wednesday night by a second consecutive WPIAL championship victory.

At times, it wasn't easy. Unlike their last meeting, Oakland Catholic put up a fight.

“It was exciting, all right. A little too exciting for me,” Penn-Trafford coach Cindy Dutt said with relief after the Warriors prevailed 2-0 in the Class AA final on their home turf, thanks to a pair of second-half goals by Alayna Wagner, one of six seniors on a sizeable roster.

“We only have three returning starters, so we've had to stay with it,” Dutt said. “The girls have done a good job. They just decided it was time to score, and they knew what they had to do because Oakland Catholic's defense was pretty good.

“Every time we went to take a shot, there were 6-7 people there to keep us out.”

Penn-Trafford outshot Oakland Catholic, 11-0.

The Warriors (5-6) advance to a PIAA play-in game Nov. 4 in Latrobe against the District 11 winner.

Oakland Catholic (3-13) reached the final by beating Woodland Hills, 5-0, on Monday.

“We were in it today,” Oakland Catholic coach Emily Humiston said. “We were determined. We came in ready to execute set plays. We had some good strategies.”

Not much about the game resembled the Warriors' 6-0 victory over the Eagles during the regular season.

“Oakland Catholic wasn't quite ready the last time,” Dutt said, “but they had a whole season under their belt this time.”

Wagner's first goal came with 28 minutes, 42 seconds left in the second half. Her second registered with 9:55 to go.

“I'm really excited for the younger girls,” Wagner said. “I love to play this game, and I love to do it for them.”

Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Oakland Catholic, Penn-Trafford