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District 3 field hockey: New Oxford slips past Berks Catholic


Having never made it out of the first round of districts as a Colonials player, New Oxford head coach Tonya Lardarello was determined to guide her team to a win Wednesday night.

The 1993 New Oxford graduate would do just that, as the second-seeded Colonials topped Berks Catholic, 3-0, in their first of the District 3 Class 2A playoffs. It was the first time since 2007 that the Colonials advanced past the first round of districts.

"I'm so pumped," Lardarello said. "Just so excited for them. They've accepted the change in coaching style and done everything I've asked. We're having fun and that's what it's all about."

Despite being the much higher seed, New Oxford was challenged by the Saints for much of the first half. But goalie Haley Luckabaugh made a couple big saves and Carly Flickinger scored with less than three minutes remaining in the first half on a pass from Kaelyn Long to give New Oxford a lead at halftime.

In the second half, Shaela Pagnanaelli and Kasey Demi added goals to give the Colonials a bigger cushion. Luckabaugh finished with six saves while New Oxford outshot Berks Catholic 16 to 12.

New Oxford is guaranteed at least two more games, as the losing team in the second round goes to consolations. The top six teams in the bracket make the PIAA playoffs.

CLASS 1A FIRST ROUND 

Bermudian Springs 5, Bishop McDevitt 2: Nicki Wolf scored two goals and the Eagles overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to capture the win at York Suburban.

Wolf scored two game-tying goals — the first came at the 11:16 mark of the first half and the second at the 15:24 mark of the second half. Brooke Zehr netted the go-ahead goal for the No. 3-seeded Eagles with 11:59 to go in the contest.

Zehr added an assist in the contest.

Bermudian Springs will now play Boiling Springs on Saturday in the Class 1A quarterfinals round. Time and location is yet to be determined.

Newport 5, Littlestown 0: The No. 10-seeded Thunderbolts lost big to No. 7 Newport. The game was played at Lower Dauphin High School.

Littlestown won YAIAA Division III this year and finished the season with a 12-7-1 overall record. The team went 10-3 in divisional play.

Boiling Springs 2, Kennard-Dale 0: The No. 11-seeded Rams couldn't get out of the first round against No. 6 Boiling Springs. The match was played at York Suburban High School.

Kennard-Dale finished the season with a 10-6 overall record. The Rams went 9-4 in YAIAA Division III play.

CLASS 3A FIRST ROUND

Dallastown 2, Central Dauphin 1: Jen Crumling's goal with 4:46 to play stood up to be the game-winner as Dallastown beat Central Dauphin on Wednesday at Penn Manor.

Kiele Fullerton scored with 21:54 to play in the first half to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead at the break. Nicole Crumling had an assist on the goal. Dallastown would later go ahead on Jen Crumling's goal.

Dallastown will advance to face 2015 PIAA runner-up and 2014 PIAA co-champion Palmyra in Saturday's quarterfinal round at Milton Hershey.