The Starr’s Mill Lady Panthers soccer team won the AAAAA state title in dominating fashion Friday night in a 2-0 win over Northgate. The Panthers were on their front foot from the opening whistle denying time and space defensively while moving the ball quickly and confidently around the pitch.
Lauren Yoss opened the scoring when Ashley Broderick headed a ball wide to the left flank. Yoss calmly slotted the ball in the near post for the 1-0 advantage in the 18th minute. With Riley Clark and Kayla Feigenbaum also causing the Viking defense problems, the Panthers were able to create chances and possess well within the attacking half.
Carly Pressgrove was pivotal in the midfield doing all the dirty work to win the ball and feed the forwards and other midfielders. Macey Voorhies and Broderick completed the trio who stifled Northgate’s advances early in their attacks.
Another attack down the left in the 35th minute doubled the lead for Starr’s Mill. Pressgrove found Yoss deep on the left and Yoss whipped in a cross to the crashing Clark at the back post. Under pressure form Clark a Viking defender turned the ball into her own net and Starr’s Mill entered the break up 2-0.
The Panthers nearly added a third when Clark crashed home a header from a set piece but the whistle blew for a foul that gave the Vikings a reprieve. The game became a tense, physical battle with the Panthers standing tall in the back as each team dug deeper to lift their game.
Dylan Patterson, Hannah Fertig, Ashton Nowicki and Chayla Park were shutting down any advances with Paige Betsill flying off her line to force the Northgate attacker to push her shot wide when into goal. The intensity of the game increased as time wound down but the Panthers ran out the clock deep in Viking territory to seal the win and their first state title since 2010.
Starr’s Mill finishes the season 18-5-0 adding a sixth state championship to the trophy case in the process. The team bids adieu to seniors Paige Betsill, Kayla Feigenbaum, Chayla Park, and Carly Pressgrove and thanks them for helping return the Panthers to the summit.
