Spartans’ soccer title dreams dashed by Allentown Central Catholic
By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
ROYERSFORD – Even in November, when careers are at stake each time players walk on the field, not every loss is the same. Some cut deeper. Some sting more. Some teams destined to win a state championship don’t get that far.
Wyomissing had that team. Everyone knew it. This group converged at this moment to march toward a perfect ending.
That’s what hurt the most. The end came too soon.
“These are my best friends,” senior Hannah Hurleman said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to play with anyone else. It’s hard when you see the clock tick down and there’s no time left.”
Wyomissing fell to Allentown Central Catholic 2-1 in the PIAA Class 2A soccer quarterfinals at Spring-Ford Saturday.
Soccer people know it can unfold this way. Somewhere in the recesses of their minds they accept the possibility. A team can play better, can actually be better and still lose.
It looked like Wyomissing was going to avoid that fate, at least on this day, when Abby Noey took Cadi Hoke’s corner and sent it home 13 minutes into the second half.
Noey played the ball with her foot about waist high and drilled a shot off the crossbar. It bounced down to the keeper and trickled across the line. Wyomissing led 1-0.
What made this defeat so stunning is how quickly the mood went from some degree of comfort to sheer desperation. The one-goal lead disappeared. It was swallowed up by two set plays.
Gabriella Powell-Dix scored on a scramble off a corner to tie it 1-1 with 18:05 remaining. Josslin Muto scored directly off a free kick less than five minutes later.
An intermittent rain started early in the second half. The turf became wet and the ball became less predictable. Muto’s shot, which was really a service into the box, skidded over the head of keeper Renie Harris.
There was still time for Wyomissing. A lot of time actually. But the Spartans didn’t generate a quality scoring chance over the final 13 minutes.
If sheer will could have tied the score, they would’ve been fine. The situation required either precision or luck and neither of those allies paid a visit.
“Overall I thought the girls did a good job of keeping themselves composed, working together and trying to get forward,” Wyomissing coach Rachel Hoffman said. “I’m not disappointed at all in how they responded. They fought until the very end.”
Wyomissing finished 23-2. The District 3 champs outscored opponents 107-24. The season ended in the same place as last year. The quarterfinals. Three wins short of PIAA gold.
As the players huddled on the field afterward, the public address announcer congratulated the seven seniors by name for their excellent careers. It was meant to be a nice gesture but it served as a harsh reminder that it was over.
No more connections from Izzy Marshall to Hannah Hurleman. No more spinning throws from Emma Care or chances canceled out by Sam Donahue and Charlotte Lazarchick-Oberti. No more Jabrea Flowers pressing up the left sideline or Molly Kuhn running down the right wing.
All of the players cried. They didn’t just shed a few tears. They sobbed.
“I’ve been playing with these girls since we were 9 years old,” Hurleman said. “We grew up together. Ending it with the same group is special. Not a lot of teams get to have that kind of bond.”
Some losses cut deeper. They mark the end of a magical time that will never come back.
