This week, the Upper Perkiomen field hockey team clinched its fourth consecutive division title and qualified for the conference playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
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Upper Perk's Burgundy Gehman bounces the ball on her
stick as she runs away from a Pottstown defender in Mon-
days game at Pottstown.
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Improved passing has allowed the team to relieve some of the pressure on its top two players, Julia and Jade Traynor. The identical twins have received plenty of support.
Key contributions from Landrey DeLillo, Burgundy Gahman, Makayla Marshall and a goalkeeping duo allowed the Indians to continue their dominance of the Pioneer Athletic Conference's Frontier Division.
"A couple of good players can get you pretty far in the postseason," head coach Meghan Griffin said. "But if you look at the really good teams, they have an entire support system. That's what we're trying to develop."
The team secured its division title with a 3-0 victory over Pope John Paul II on Tuesday. Jade Traynor, Gahman and Morgan O'Hara scored.
Jade, a junior, added four goals in a 7-0 road win over Pottstown on Monday, Mia Ulmer scored twice. Olivia Keyser added a goal, while Gahman contributed two assists.
Late last week, the Indians rolled to an 8-1 victory over Pottsgrove. Julia Traynor registered two goals and two assists. Ulmer scored twice.
Jade Traynor delivered a goal and an assist. DeLillo, Gahman, Maguire Simms also scored. "We're looking pretty good," the coach said.
On Tuesday, the Tribe (13-4 overall, 11-1 PAC) will begin its bid for its fourth conference title in five seasons as the host team. The title game is scheduled for Thursday at Keeny Stadium.
Upper Perkiomen, which ends the regular season at home on Thursday against Pottstown, has won seven of its last eight games. Its only loss since Sept. 19 came over the weekend against Oley Valley.
The host Lynx rallied in the second half to post a 2-1 non-league victory on Saturday, Oct. 7. They scored twice in the second half.
Jade Traynor's goal, off an assist from Julia, staked the Tribe to a 1-0 halftime lead. However, Oley Valley rallied to remain undefeated and maintain their spot atop the District Three Class 1A power rankings.
According to Griffin, the Indians delivered one of their better performances of the season against the Lynx, who reached the semifinal round of the PIAA tournament last season. She said her players thrive against tougher competition.
"We played significantly better than we do against most of our conference opponents," the coach said. "It was very crisp."
According to Griffin, Oley Valley displayed the level of passing to which her team aspires. She said it was good for her players to see it, "They did a phenomenal job passing the ball," the coach said.
The Tribe has made significant strides in implementing a new system of moving the ball, according to Griffin. She wrote in a text that it involves pushing the ball to the sidelines and transitioning through the middle as well as delivering longer passes for players to run into. "We're really trying to hone in on it," the coach said.
The idea is to force the opposition to spread out on the field. Julia Traynor, a midfielder, is usually defended tightly, noted Griffin. She said Jade, a forward, is much harder to mark due to her constant motion.
Jade has delivered a team-high 24 goals, while Julia has 19. One of them has scored every game but one, a season-opening loss to Radnor in August. Julia has posted a team-high 11 assists. "She's always looking to distribute," the coach said.
Jade Traynor, a forward, has added eight assists. She always ends up near the ball, said Griffin. "Jade is extremely fast and can really handle the ball," the coach said.
DeLillo, a sophomore, has scored four goals off penalty corners. Gahman, a ninth-grade midfielder and inserter on corners, has delivered nine goals and four assists. Griffin described Marshall, a sophomore midfielder, as the workhorse of the defense.
Ava Hengeveld and Ryann Sanfelice continue to split time in goal. The two have combined for seven shutouts.
Hengeveld – a senior – plays the first and third quarters, while Sanfelice – a ninth grader – covers the second and fourth quarters. Though Griffin considers the arraignment unusual, she expressed no immediate plan to make a change.
"It's not very typical situation, but the best situation for us," the coach said. "I'm waiting for one to wow me. Both have played very well and have added a lot to the team."