Sidni Templeton, Abby Zerbe convert late penalty corners in 2-0 Wilson dub against Manheim Township: field hockey

Manheim Township’s solid defense was unable to stop Wilson’s attack. Photo: Bob Benscoter

The love-hate relationship with a field hockey post and a foot foul is real.

For Manheim Township, one could only imagine that the Blue Streaks loved the help that they got from the near post of the cage in the third quarter Wednesday night, despite falling to Wilson 2-0 in the end.

A handful of Bulldogs — halfway celebrating — were midair once they realized that the ball had pinged the post and not the boards. The ball sliced across the mouth of the cage as the players feet rejoined the ground.

The Blue Streaks cleared the ball. And, the score remained 0-0.

Wilson were eventually able to find Township’s weak spot twice, converting two attack penalty corners, one as time expired on the clock at the end of the game. The game was played under newly installed lights at Ed Journey Field in Lancaster County.

“We played with intensity throughout the whole game,” junior Sidni Templeton said, who was credited with one goal. “It was really back and forth in the beginning, but once we were able to attack and get our momentum going on offense, we were able to break the ice and get that first goal in. And, I think we kept the momentum going throughout the game, and that allowed us to just keep playing hard and then eventually score that goal at the end.”

Wilson’s Abby Zerbe, a sophomore, turned her attention to her mental game, she said. Because the Bulldogs were having a tough time getting around the Blue Streaks defense, she started using positive self talk.

Zerbe scored the final goal and was credited with an assist.

“I knew that I had to change my move to get in front of that girl, and then I had the ball, and I was like, all right, this is going in,” Zerbe said. “So, I was like, let's do it.”

Wilson and Manheim Township try to have an annual friendly rivalry, a test game, to measure each other’s current abilities. The Bulldogs, after having to withstand the intensity of their out-of-conference equal, honed in on communication.

“You could hear everyone throughout the field, and that really kept us connected on defense,” Templeton said. “And, then we were able to break their defense.”

Zerbe agreed, adding “the switch happened when we started talking and using our speed to go around their defenders, even though they were very good. That’s kind of what flipped for us, and that’s when we found the momentum.”

Both teams play in District 3 in Pennsylvania.

“I think the first quarter, maybe even into the second quarter, I thought Township probably had higher possession than we did,” Wilson head field hockey coach Kim Underwood said.

She gave the Blue Streaks credit for having more “opportunities on cage.”

“We readjusted and picked it up and followed some of the game plan that we set at halftime,” Underwood said. “The team is extremely cultured. They work hard, they just pick up for each other. They do what needs to get done, so that I think that's impressive.”

Township also had a brief celebration when they too thought they had scored a goal in the third. But that pesky field hockey foul, an offensive foot in the circle, prevented the goal from being counted.

“I think the thing is, though, like, the effort was there,” Manheim Township head coach Jess Shollenberger said. “ And I think the girls just never, ever quit. You know, the running, the energy, you know shifting with their ball movement. Their ball movement was awesome. But, you know, we were doing our best to get below the ball and continue to press and get pressure on. So we told them it wasn't an energy-effort issue tonight. I think we got, you know, we got a little bit unsure of ourselves. It’s a young season, and it's a new team.

“You know, the first home night game on this field, it's a big deal for the school. You've got a formidable opponent, somebody that we've beaten the past couple times we've seen them. So you know, I understand them coming in and wanting to have that opportunity. And I think we handled that well, but I think there were moments where you saw us be a bit frantic.”

The final score was 2-0 Wilson.

Wilson are 2-2 to start the season. And, Manheim Township are 1-1.

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