Tigers, Trojans earn championships
Traveling to Emmaus, Northwestern Lehigh coach Jordan Smith privately told one of his assistants that Tigers senior goalkeeper Naomi Glassberg, a Cornell University recruit, would need to perform like a Division I player to give her team a chance to win.
“She came up with save after save,” Smith said, “and a lot of them were huge.”
Glassberg was great Thursday night, and Northwestern, which scored three first-half goals, held on for an exciting 3-2 win over defending state champion Allentown Central Catholic in the District 11 Class 2A girls soccer final at Emmaus’ Memorial Field.
The fourth-seeded Tigers (17-5-1) advance to play the District 2 champion in the PIAA state tournament, which kick off on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.
Smith’s squad started strong vs. the Vikettes.
Northwestern scored twice 50 seconds apart in the opening half, sophomore Brook Balliet left-footing one into the net with 24:16 left and junior Katie Brensinger following that with a strike at the 23:26 mark.
No. 3 Central Catholic (17-3-1) closed within 2-1 on a Meredith Eisenmann tally.
Balliet then scored her second of the contest with 5:04 remaining in the half and Northwestern took a 3-1 advantage to intermission.
Senior Samantha Bardonner and sophomore Paige Bissell contributed assists for the Tigers.
“We definitely wanted to come out strong and put some goals on the board,” said Balliet, who scored in the Tigers’ semifinal-round win.
“The early goals were deadly,” Smith said. “You certainly can’t relax but that helps calm things.”
In the second half, Glassberg put on a keeper clinic.
She came far away from the goal to deny a breakaway with 36 minutes to play, slapping a hard shot out of the air and pulling it in all in one motion. Then, with 6:10 left, Glassberg slid to her left to stop a pointblank shot off the foot of sophomore Dee McMullen, who scored the lone second-half goal.
Glassberg, a starter when Northwestern topped Central Catholic 2-0 for the 20192 A crown, was credited with six saves.
“Honestly, it was crazy,” Glassberg said of the second half. “We couldn’t clear the ball out so it was really just keeping them from scoring. I’m glad we were able to pull through.”
“Their goalie played phenomenal,” Vikettes coach Rob Spatzer said, “and denied us a lot of good opportunities. Give her a lot of credit.”
The District 11 title was the fourth straight for Northwestern. The Tigers won a 2A title in 2019, 3A titles in 2020 and 2021, and another 2A title this year.
This one was especially sweet, Glassberg said.
“Honestly, yeah this one was special. I think we were the underdog against them.”
Smith said he told his team at Wednesday’s practice it was capable of knocking off the two-time defending district champs. Central Catholic won the state’s 2A title last year as well.
“I told the girls there’s no reason they should feel like they were underdogs,” said Smith, in his second season as head coach. “Central is a phenomenal team and they played a phenomenal game. But you’ve got to beat the best to be the best, and that’s what we did.”
While Smith and the Tigers prepare for the state playoffs, Central Catholic reflects on a solid season. But one that ended too soon, according to the Vikettes.
“I certainly think we’re disappointed. Getting to the district final and winning it were goals and we didn’t quite get there. We graduate three seniors but we’re a young team that should be positioned well for years to come,” Spatzer said.
Class 4A championship
Parkland 2, Emmaus 1: At J. Birney Crum Stadium, coach Al Haddad’s top-seeded Trojans (23-0) won their third straight District 11 title and eighth in nine seasons with a second two-overtime win over Emmaus this postseason. (Parkland edged Emmaus 1-0 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference final.)
Senior Hailey Sammarco scored the “Golden Goal” with 3:53 left in the second overtime.
Emmaus sophomore Kamryn McWhinney put the Green Hornets ahead with 15:43 remaining in regulation before Trojans senior Sejal Wellington equalized on a free kick with 6:05 left.
Parkland advances to play District 1’s No. 4 seed in Tuesday’s PIAA tournament.