Both the Council Rock North and Council Rock South field hockey teams have had their ups and downs this season.
But each always brings their “A” game when they face each other.
CR North won both Suburban One League Patriot Division meetings this season, topping the Golden Hawks, 4-3, in their first meeting of the year on Oct. 2, then coming from behind to win the rematch in overtime, 2-1, on Oct. 11 at CR North’s Walt Snyder Stadium.
The wins are the first two CR North has had over its district rivals since 2015, snapping a 14-game undefeated streak for CR South.
“That’s definitely not how I wanted my senior year to go, but they were both good games and we played well, so it’s frustrating, but at the same time, I’m really proud of how everyone stepped up,” said CR South defender Clare Morgan, who also runs track for the Golden Hawks. “We take games against North very seriously, but it’s also friendly because we know a lot of the girls on their team.”
CR South scored first when Mia Schink took a pass from Annagrace McKinney three minutes into the second quarter.
“They beat us the last time we played and that was definitely in our heads, but we tried to use it as a motivator,” said CR South junior defensive midfielder Maria Freeman. “We had a lot of energy and momentum. Getting that first goal gave us a lot of confidence but we also knew that we had to keep that lead. It definitely pushed us.”
The lead stood until there was 5:01 remaining in the game. Madeline Mela scored for the Indians with an assist from Julie Ondria.
“We were very motivated,” said Mela, a senior forward who also plays lacrosse for CR North. “Beating South twice is the best feeling as a senior this year. That was a big goal for me.
“We came into the season doubting ourselves, but I think we’ve grown a lot as a team and we’re proving ourselves. We’ve really bonded. The playoffs were a goal for me and I think I can speak for the rest of the team when I say it was their goal, too.”
Charlotte Ondria netted the winner with 3:16 to go in overtime, assisted by Mela.
“That was probably the biggest goal I ever scored,” said Ondria, a senior forward who also plays lacrosse for the Indians. “I got an assist from my friend Maddie, and it felt great.
“They scored first, and we kept our heads up. It was only one goal. We beat them before, and we knew we could do it again.
“We had a good start to the season and then we had a rocky road, but I think we have things back on track and I hope we can make the playoffs because I think if we do, we’ll do well.”
It was the fourth consecutive win for the Indians, who outshot the Golden Hawks, 8-5.
CR North senior forward Julie Ondria believes she knows the secret to their success.
“We all work well together, and that’s our greatest strength,” said Ondria, who also plays lacrosse for CR North. “We have each other’s backs. We do have a lot of seniors, but we also have a wide variety of all the grades. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior. We’re all in it together.”
CR North goaltender Cara Moriarty made four saves against the Golden Hawks.
CR South leads the all-time series, 19-18-1.
It was a heartbreaker for the Golden Hawks, who were coming off a stinging 5-0 loss to Neshaminy.
“We had a bad loss to Neshaminy but after this game I feel much better about our team,” said Maria Freeman, who also plays basketball for the Golden Hawks. “This was definitely a boost for us, even though we lost.”
The loss didn’t help CR South’s chances of making the playoffs.
“We were very senior-heavy last year, so we had a lot of roles to fill,” said CR South junior center midfielder Sarah Freeman, also a member of the basketball team. “I think we have a good mix of players and we’re finally really starting to click together.
“This year is good for us as far as getting girls varsity experience, so it’s been a lot of growing pains for us. I’m really looking forward to next year. I think we’re going to be really strong.”
CR South held a 9-2 advantage in penalty corners. Peyton Wright made six saves in goal for the Golden Hawks.
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