The Pine Grove bench started to celebrate before the final buzzer went off.
When it finally did, the Cardinals rushed the field, with most of them heading toward goalkeeper Jen Kaufman.
It’s been a season of firsts for the Pine Grove girls’ soccer program. The Cardinals added to it Saturday.
Freshmen Mariah Lesh and Rachel Edge both scored twice as the Cardinals overwhelmed Schuylkill Haven with five unanswered second-half goals in a 6-1 victory over the Hurricanes during the Schuylkill League championship game at Alumni Field.
The title is the first in program history for Pine Grove (19-1), the Division I champs, in what has been a record-breaking season. The Cardinals won their 15th consecutive game Saturday, a program record, as is the number of overall wins. The division title is also a program first.
“It is amazing,” said junior Mackenzie Lesh, a three-year starter who scored the game’s first goal Saturday. “We just put so much into everything starting on Day 1.”
The championship was indeed extra special for
Mackenzie Lesh, who got to share it with her younger sister Mariah.
“I am going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Mackenzie said. “It is even great that she is on the team with me.”
Saturday’s game was the second straight dominating performance in the league playoffs for the Cardinals, who beat Williams Valley 5-1 in the semifinals Thursday.
This one, however, was a little more difficult.
The game was tied at 1 at halftime, but Pine Grove poured it on in the second half. Edge scored in the 44th minute to give the Cardinals the lead for good, while Mariah Lesh’s first goal during the 58th minute started to swing the momentum in Pine Grove’s favor for good.
The Cardinals rolled from there, as Mackenzie Hasenauer scored in the 65th minute, while Edge and Mariah Lesh both scored in the 76th.
Pine Grove ended up holding a 13-0 advantage in shots on goal in the second half, outshooting the Hurricanes 22-4 in the game.
“I am looking forward to the next few years because the first year has been amazing so far,” Mariah Lesh said. “I am proud of our team.”
There could still be more to come for the Cardinals over the next few weeks. Saturday’s victory gave Pine Grove the No. 1 seed for the upcoming District 11 Class A playoffs.
Saturday was the second straight year the Hurricanes (15-5), the Division II champs, played in the league title game. Schuylkill Haven lost to Blue Mountain 2-1 in 2013.
Despite getting outshot 9-4 in the first half, the Hurricanes went to the half tied after Rileigh Evitts curled in her own corner kick with 4 minutes left in the half.
Schuylkill Haven keeper Genie Tucci played a great game with 16 saves, but the Hurricanes couldn’t get much going offensively in the second half.
Schuylkill Haven was also without senior forward Kelsey Sisko, who missed her second straight game with a hamstring injury.
“I was proud of these girls the way they played tonight,” Hurricanes coach Gary Rada said. “Pine Grove is really a good team. I think without Kelsey in there it took a factor away from our situation. We just didn’t have that extra firepower up front that could have made somewhat of a difference for a while.”
The difference in the second half for Pine Grove was staying patient and making mental adjustments. Then the goals started to go in.
“I know that any team can win on any day, but I had faith in the team,” Mackenzie Lesh said. “We had so many opportunities, we knew we had to finish them and keep our heads up.”
Edge gave Pine Grove the lead for good on a follow-up to her own shot. Tucci knocked the first one away, but the ball wasn’t cleared and Edge cleaned it up.
Coral Kreiser set up Mariah’s Lesh first goal when she passed to Lesh on the wing. She took a few dribbles towards Tucci and then put the shot past the keeper from about 10 yards out.
“I said to them at the beginning of this game that there are two things we have to play with, pride and passion,” said Pine Grove coach Jason Brown, who was doused with the water bucket during the postgame interview. “Passion for the game and passion on playing on the pitch with each other. Pride for the name on the front of our jersey: Pine Grove Area girls’ soccer.
“This was the first time the program has been in the league championship. That is pride there. I can’t be more proud of this program and what they accomplished.”
There was plenty of celebration Saturday night. In fact, one of Brown’s biggest concerns after the game was getting the Cardinals on the team bus and back to Pine Grove so they could get a fire-truck parade through town before a 10 p.m. noise curfew.
Schuylkill League
Girls’ Soccer
Champions
2014 — Pine Grove
2013 — Blue Mountain
2012 — Blue Mountain
2011 — Blue Mountain
2010 — Blue Mountain
2009 — Millersburg
2008 — Halifax
2007 — Tamaqua
2006 — Mount Carmel
2005 — Mount Carmel
2004 — Shamokin
2003 — Shamokin
2002 — Shamokin
2001 — Shamokin
Game Summary
Schuylkill League Girls’ SoccerChampionship Game At Alumni Field, Pottsville
Sch. Haven (15-5) 1 0 — 1 Pine Grove (19-1) 1 5 — 6
PG —Mac. Lesh, 15:57
SH —Evitts, 36:00
PG —Edge, 43:10
PG —Mar. Lesh (Kreiser), 57:22
PG —Hasenauer (Mar. Lesh), 64:11
PG —Edge (Mac. Lesh), 75:10
PG —Mar. Lesh (Edge), 75:49
Shots on goal: Schuylkill Haven 4, Pine Grove 22. Corner kicks: Schuylkill Haven 1, Pine Grove 6. Saves: Schuylkill Haven (Tucci) 16, Pine Grove (Kaufman) 3.