Mounties prepared to face Moravian Academy
Trending
South Williamsport is playing in the state quarterfinals in Class A against Moravian Academy. Sound familiar? Well that's because this is the third consecutive state quarterfinal matchup between the two schools.
And once again they're playing for a right to advance to the PIAA Class A semifinals. The two will face off on Saturday at North Schuylkill High School in Ashland at 1 p.m.
"We need to stay focused, we need to keep up the intensity. We can't relax. We have to just continue playing as a team," South Williamsport assistant coach Jane House said after beating Lancaster Mennonite on Tuesday as to what the team has to do in the quarterfinals. "We need to keep that momentum going and just keep playing as a team."
Playing together as a team is something the players agree is their biggest strength. All 11 players on the field who start, and even those who come off the bench, have a unity together and help the team as a whole excel.
"I would say unity and preparing (are our biggest strengths). Being a team is more than just skill wise and you just have to be really united and come together as a team in order to pull things off," South Williamsport's Olivia Loudenslager said.
"We know Moravian's a crazy good team. We know we have to really possess the ball," South Williamsport's Ella Moore said. "Our defense really has to play tough because they have amazing players."
There's a lot of similarities between both Moravian Academy and South Williamsport. Both had a bit of a sluggish start to the year and both are playing absolutely outstanding down the stretch as playoffs began.
Moravian Academy began the season with a 3-5 record and weren't quite sure how the rest of the season would play out. Since then, the Lions have gone 11-2, with the lone losses coming to Palisades on Sept. 28 (2-1) and to Northwestern Lehigh on Oct. 21 in the Colonial League tournament championship game, 5-0.
In the District 11 tournament, Moravian Academy edged Palisades to get some revenge, 3-2, before a 2-0 win over Williams Valley in the semifinals and a win over Pine Grove for the district crown.
Moravian Academy then beat Lakeland in the first round of the state tournament, 2-0.
South also had a rough start to the season, opening the year at 0-5, before correcting some things and getting onto the winning path. Now they're in the state quarterfinals once again against Moravian Academy.
"I think it's crazy (to be in the state quarterfinals again). No one thought we would be here. Like 0-5 (to start the year)? I think we're just taking it one game at a time, we just have to," South Williamsport goalie Althea Street said. "It's so nice to be here again playing as long as we can."
South Williamsport knows it has the ability to beat Moravian Academy. They've done it two years in a row. In 2021, the Mounties beat Moravian Academy at Palmyra to advance to the state semifinals. Last year it was a 2-0 win in Ashland to get back to the state semifinals.
And this year, there's no doubt South Williamsport wants to once again be in the state semifinals and keep their incredible season going.
"We have to have a lot more quicker passes and runs and we have to read the game a lot," Loudenslager said as to her expectations. "Just read it and like I said, stay united and be as one."
And playing together united and as one is what has gotten South Williamsport to this point, and there's no doubt that's how South Williamsport will come out on Saturday and play.