D’town East cruises past Garnet in first round

LIONVILLE » Garnet Valley hadn’t made the District 1 field hockey playoffs since 2013. After posting its first winning season in just as long under first year head coach Sandy Leiti, the Jaguars finally made it back, pulling down the No. 19 seed in Class 3A.

Standing in the way of advancement in the tourney, though, was Downingtown East, a district tourney regular, and the No. 14 seed. The Cougars proved to be too much for the upstart Jags, and Downingtown East punched its ticket to the second round with a convincing 6-0 victory over Garnet Valley.

“Coming into this season, we wanted to have a winning season and make it to districts, and we accomplished those goals,” said Leiti. “It was a lot of hard work this season, and we’re taking steps in the right direction. This team only won six games last season, and fewer the year before that. To improve to get eight wins and three ties, and for the girls to start believing in themselves and gain confidence is what is going to start changing the culture of field hockey at Garnet.”

Ten minutes ran off the clock at the start of the game with both offensive attacks sputtering. Neither team even got so much as a penalty corner for the first eight minutes, but then traded unsuccessful corners over the next five minutes.

“For whatever reason, we started kind of slow,” said the Cougars’ Caroline Webb. “We all knew someone was going to have to make something happen.”

BILL RUDICK — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Garnet Valley’s Sophie Easter battles with Downingtown East’s Alex Taylor on Monday. At back is East’s Tyler Wilson.