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Bermudian Springs' season comes to end with 1-0 loss to Manheim Central


If you didn't know any better, it would've been difficult to tell that the Bermudian Springs Eagles' season had just come to an end as they left the field Wednesday night.

A couple seniors wiped away tears as the fact that their careers had just ended settled in, but none of the Eagles' heads drooped as they huddled after a 1-0 loss to Manheim Central in the district playoffs.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of," Bermudian Springs senior Kenzie Farley said. "They're a really good team. We had good communication, we didn't do anything wrong. We went out how we wanted to, we played how we wanted to, and we're all happy with that."

But their satisfaction extended far beyond this one game. The Eagles won 18 games this fall, advanced to the YAIAA tournament championship for the first time in school history, and won a district playoff game for the first time since 2010. Two more wins would've sent them to the PIAA tournament for the first time since 2007.

"I think it was a great season," Bermudian Springs coach Neil Bixler said. "We haven't had 18 wins in a long time, we had some firsts this year, and we've been competitive everywhere. I think these kids did a fantastic job."

The team's four seniors — Farley, Lindsey Brehm, Morgan Williams, Jenifer Jiminez — were all invited to play in the YAIAA senior all-star game for their performances this season, but weren't able to make it as the all-star game conflicted with Wednesday's playoff game. But all four played up to their all-star status in the loss.

Brehm, Williams and Jiminez anchored a defense that allowed the Barons — who scored eight goals in a playoff win against Susquehannock last week — to one goal, which was scored by Taylor Wiederrecht off a corner early in the second half.

And Farley, who scored 62 goals this season and is verbally committed to play at Lock Haven next year, nearly scored an equilizer late in the half as she took a pass from Brooke Zehr and fired a shot that ricocheted off the pads of Barons goalkeeper Emma Beamesderfer. It was the Eagles' only shot on goal in the game as they were outshot 7-1 and gave up 15 corners to 4.

"As an all-around player, she's excellent," Bixler said of Farley. "I think that's what Lock Haven certainly saw, is the fact that she could play a lot of different places. She can pass, she can defend, she can do just about all phases of the game."

Bermudian Springs will lose those four starters next season but expects to build off the success the team had this season as the rest of the starters return and sophomore Olivia Blasone, a starter earlier this season, is expected to fully recover from injuries sustained in a September car crash.

"Olivia will be back next year, which will be huge," Bixler said. "I've already looked ahead — I always do — and there's really only one spot that I'm not sure of, but I think I can plug somebody in everywhere else. We have a big freshman class coming in next year with a couple good players."

Even the departing seniors expect the Eagles to carry on this year's unprecedented success.

"They'll be fine," Farley said. "We have a good group of girls coming up, our program is gonna stay where it's at."

Bermudian Springs00—0

Manheim Central01—1

Second Half — Taylor Wiederrecht (Jillian Wolgemuth), 27:20.

Shots on goal — BeS 1, MC 7

Corners — BeS 4;

Goalies — BeS, Madison Dewease (5 saves), MC, Emma Beamesderfer (1 save).

BLUE SQUAD TAKES D-I ALL-STAR GAME >> In Wednesday's Division I field hockey all-star game at Spring Grove, the Division I blue squad defeated the yellow squad, 6-2, as South Western's Montana Utz scored three times. Central York's Greta Plappert (twice) and Dallastown's Olivia Talley also scored for the blue team.

The yellow squad received goals from a pair of Red Lion athletes, McKayla Cooley and Jayla Godfrey. The New Oxford field hockey team was presented the 2015 Sportsmanship Award plaque, given by the YAIAA York Chapter of Field Hockey Umpires.