LC girls soccer coach Tom O'Donnell on PIAA Tournament loss

The Lansdale Catholic girls soccer team made its first ever appearance in the state playoffs Tuesday and unfortunately for the Crusaders it was a short stay, as they fell to Villa Maria 1-0 in the first overtime at West Chester East.



LC coach Tom O'Donnell talked after the game about Villa Maria's game-winner along with the Crusaders season in total, which included LC reaching the Philadelphia Catholic League final a second-straight season and also winning the District 12 Class AA title.

The area's two Class AAA schools that made states, Pennridge and Central Bucks West, kept their season alive with first-round victories Tuesday night.

District One runner-up Pennridge edged the Unionville, the fifth-place side from District One, 1-0 at Harriton. The Bucks, who are the third seed from District One, headed up the Northeast Extension to Memorial Stadium in Scranton and bested Distict Two champ Abington Heights 1-0.

The Class AAA quarterfinal round is Satuday with CB West facing District One sixth seed Conestoga, which upset District One champ Council Rock South 1-0. Pennridge takes on PCL and District 12 champ Archbishop Wood, as the Vikings topped District One fourth seed West Chester East 2-1.

GIRLS SOCCER: West's 'predatory' scoring frenzy

By Christiaan DeFranco

Although the Central Bucks West defense shut down the Abington Heights Lady Comets in Tuesday's opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs, Abington Heights found the Lady Bucks' offense nearly as frustrating as their 'D' — in particular, the fact that they scored the game's only goal in a scrum in front of the net, in this case off a corner kick.

"I knew that was how they scored a lot of their goals," Abington Heights coach E.T. Hunter said. "I went to watch them play against West Chester East (in the District 1 third-place game), and that's how they scored in that game. So we prepared for that, but they were still able to score.

"They're almost predatory the way they attack the ball in that situation," Hunter said. "It's really something to see."

West's Elena Ochsenreither used a header to score off Erin McQuate's corner kick. Comets keeper Melanie Coles got a hand on the ball before it got to Ochsenreither, but the Lady Bucks had done some preparation of their own.

"That's the way we practice it, with the goalie deflecting it, so it didn't really affect me," Ochsenreither said.

Although the Comets have won the District 2 title in four of the last five seasons, they have yet to win a state playoff game. However, Hunter's girls are clearly on the rise and they're likely to be right back at states next year.

DeFranco's Power Rankings

College Football
1. Oregon
2. Auburn
3. LSU
4. TCU
5. Boise State

NFL
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. New York Giants
4. New York Jets
5. Green Bay Packers

Add a comment to share your gripes, or e-mail assistant sports editor Christiaan DeFranco at cdefranco@thereporteronline.com.

Wissahickon QB J.T. Crits

Wissahickon junior quarterback J.T. Crits discusses the loss to Cheltenham and the Trojans' rebuilding.

H.S. FOOTBALL: Official Class-4A Playoff Seedings

Find them here.

H.S. FOOTBALL: Week 10 Local Scoreboard

FRIDAY

Souderton 31
Quakertown 14

Pennridge 8 
North Penn 41

Hatboro-Horsham 20
CB West 42

Wissahickon 7
Cheltenham 35

Methacton 21
Boyertown 27

CB East 27 
CB South 38

Tennent 0
Abington 42

Pennsbury 14
Neshaminy 35

Upper Moreland 47
Lower Merion 8

CR North 25
CR South 27

Germantown Academy 7,
Malvern Prep 28

Truman 26 
Bensalem 31

Jenkintown 7 
New Hope 38

Class 4A PCL Playoffs  
Father Judge 7 
La Salle 34

Class 3A PCL Playoffs  
Carroll 7 
Wood 41

CB West coach Brian Hensel talks after Bucks top Hatboro-Horsham

Here is Central Bucks West coach Brian Hensel's postgame thoughts after the Bucks defeated Hatboro-Horsham 42-20 Friday night. West improved to 8-2 overall with the win as it heads into the District One Class AAAA playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Not surprised McNabb was benched

By Christiaan DeFranco

So, there he was, his team trailing with the game on the line, standing on the sideline with his helmet off, drinking some Gatorade.

Injured? No.

Donovan McNabb was benched.

Were you really surprised? If you were watching the game, you knew McNabb wasn't going to get it done in the final two minutes. And Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan knew it too. Although the national media may have been stunned, the truth is Shanahan has learned what most of us in Philadelphia have known for a decade:

McNabb isn't clutch.

Talented, yes. Pretty good quarterback with a good career, yes. But not clutch.

If you need a game-winning or game-tying drive, whether it's in the Super Bowl, the playoffs or during the regular season, you might want to go with someone else. Even if it's Rex Grossman.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Sorry to see Maidens lose

By Christiaan DeFranco

The North Penn girls volleyball team, which only two years ago won a mere seven games, won 12 last season and 13 this fall. And they're a great group, led by Devon Redilla. So it was sad to see them eliminated by Hatboro-Horsham Tuesday night in the opening round of the District 1-AAA playoffs.

Redilla was clearly emotional following the defeat, but she showed her great class by gathering her thoughts and meeting with a handful of the local media just minutes after the game. She represented her program and her school well, even giving credit to the Hatters.

It may not have shown on the scoreboard, but Redilla and the Maidens won on Tuesday. 

Glad Cowboys don't have a coach

By Christiaan DeFranco

Not that I nor anyone in Philadelphia is complaining, but if the Cowboys had anything resembling a decent head coach, they'd be a very good team.