Phoenix score another D8 title
WATERLOO — The faces change but the result remains the same.
The Resurrection Phoenix captured their eighth consecutive District 8 high school field hockey championship Wednesday night with a 2-1 win over the St. David Celtics. Sammy Dietrich and Sara Steinfeld did the scoring as Resurrection, which has won the past two all-Ontario (OFSAA) championships, downed St. David in the D8 final for the fourth straight year.
“It’s a little different now that I’m in Grade 12 and one of the leaders, but the level of excitement is just the same. It always feels good to win,” said Dietrich, one of four Grade 12 players on the Resurrection roster along with Christina Sullivan, Michaela Quirk and Sammy Dietrich.
Sullivan was also thrilled with the latest victory.
“It means so much. I’ve been on this team for four years and this is four gold medals. We always have different players but we find a way to win,” she said.
Resurrection advances to next week’s Central Western Ontario championship along with three teams from the Waterloo County (WCSSAA) league and two from the Guelph region.
Resurrection and St. David played to two regular-season ties this year and the D8 final was another back-and-forth affair between two evenly matched teams. The Phoenix got off to a fast start at St. David Catholic Secondary School when Dietrich scored what she called a “dirty” goal from a scramble in front of Celtics goalkeeper Marley Dowling just seven minutes after the start.
St. David looked to have tied it midway through the first half when Jenna Berger flicked the ball into the top of the net past Resurrection goalkeeper Janelle Ward. The Celtics celebrated briefly before the goal was disallowed on a dangerous play call.
Mackenzie Denomme and Katie Oberle both had chances to tie the game before half but Ward was up to the task of stopping them.
Resurrection extended its lead to 2-0 with seven minutes remaining when Steinfeld beat Dowling from close range after a perfect pass from Dietrich.
The Celtics responded a minute later on a goal by Kristen Straus but that was as close as they’d get.
Straus, one of St. David’s top players along with Jenna Berger, Shelby Kempel and Dowling, was frustrated her team wouldn’t move on to CWOSSA despite being one of Waterloo Region’s top teams. The larger WCSSAA league gets three entries and the talented forward doesn’t think that’s fair.
“We’re disappointed we don’t get a chance to go to CWOSSA after twice tying the OFSAA champions. We deserve a chance,” she said. “Rez is solid but it’s not like they outplayed us. The calls didn’t go our way today, like on that goal, but life’s not fair, right.”
Resurrection defeated St. David 1-0 in last year’s final as Rebecca Vitello scored the game’s only goal.
The WCSSAA final is scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m. between the two-time defending champion Bluevale Knights and Cameron Heights Golden Gaels.
The Southwood Sabres and Waterloo-Oxford Crusaders will also play Thursday afternoon at Woodside Park to nab the final local entry for the CWOSSA tournament.
The CWOSSA tournament is Wednesday and Thursday at Woodside Park.