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Lady Booters Bounce Back, Top Middletown

BY ARA GRIGORIAN

Entering their Section Three girls’ soccer match with Elco on Thursday, October 6, the Donegal Indians had scored 40 goals in 15 matches. Somehow, the Raiders managed to cool down the dominant offense in a 1-0 overtime win at Donegal.

Emily Miller scored one minute into the extra period, giving the Raiders a win. Hailey Sideman had compiled 11 saves in an outstanding effort in goal for Donegal.

“The Elco game was very disappointing. We found it very difficult to get going,” head coach Adam Morris said. “We were very slow and didn’t hit our usual high energy limits. We could not find any rhythm with many of our passes not hitting their marks.”

The Indians bounced back in their next two outings. After a 20 victory at home on Saturday over non-league opponent Middletown, the Indians won an overtime game of their own at McCaskey on Monday, October 10. The win improved Donegal’s league record to 6-1-3 (11-3-3 overall). They trail Elco (7-1-2) by only two points in the section standings.

“We bounced back against Middletown Saturday,” Morris said. “We played with more intensity.

“Gina Phillips and Sophia Floyd both found the back of the net for a good team win.”

In the McCaskey match, the Red Tornado came back from a 20 deficit to tie it in the 58th minute on Annie Starliper’s goal.

Floyd scored both Donegal goals in regulation. Sophia Watson scored the game winner 16 minutes into extra time. Sideman finished with five saves. FIELD HOCKEY

In a battle between LancasterLebanon League field hockey rivals at Donegal, the visiting Ephrata Mountaineers won a close 2-0 decision on Thursday, October 6.

“It was another close finish for our team,” said head coach Gina Allessie.

Anna Commero and Marie McCracken helped the Mountaineers make the most of their five shots on goal. The Indians matched the Mounts in shots on goal with five.

“We need to focus on capitalizing on opportunities inside the attacking circle,” Allessie said. “This is something we’re consistently working on because we’ve had chances in each game but just need to finish. Being able to finish has been the theme all season.”

The Indians poured on the offense in their next match - an evening L-L League Monday match. Donegal improved to 6-90 (4-5-0 league) with a 3-1 victory at home over Cedar Crest.

Senior Makayla Ober, who also had an assist, junior Sarah Gainer and sophomore Ruth Myers, each scored in the win while goalie Ella Miller held off the Falcons.

“We are very proud of the improvements each week,” Allessie said. “Overall, the team has worked hard and has solid fundamental skills.” FOOTBALL

Donegal’s football team needed to get on track in the second half of its L-L League game at Conrad Weiser on Friday, October 7.

The Scouts had limited the Indians’ rushing attack, but thanks to a solid effort by Donegal’s defense, the game between these Section Four foes was at a one-point difference at intermission, 7-6 Donegal.

“We made some key adjustments at halftime,” head coach Chad Risberg explained. “We were able to run the ball well using those adjustments. So, a shout out to our offensive line.”

The Indians put up a pair of third-quarter scores en route to a 28-12 victory, improving to 2-5 on the year (1-3 league). Noah Rohrer, who finished with 152 yards on 27 rushing attempts, scored his second touchdown of the game - a six-yarder to open the second half scoring. Zeke Amaro scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Landen Baughman.

“We were able to score on a touchdown pass off of play action because of those adjustments,” Risberg added.

Sandwiched between these Donegal TD’s was Trey Dianna’s 29-yard rushing TD for Weiser.

In the fourth quarter Tyler Sload (4 carries, 63 yards) broke free for a 33-yard scamper to the endzone. Rohrer added his third PAT kick of the night to cap the scoring.

As far as the defense doing its part and keeping the Scouts (2-2 league) in check, Risberg remarked, “They [Weiser] did not have a first down in the fourth quarter. The defense played really well in the second half.”

When asked about the team bouncing back from a 41-7 loss to Twin Valley the previous week, Risberg replied, “It was great to see the kids bounce back this week and get the win. They all worked hard and it says a lot about their character.”Every kid on the team practiced hard all week,” continued the coach. “The coaching staff did a great job preparing the kids.” CROSS COUNTRY

In a Section Two cross country race that had been postponed from the previous week’s consecutive days of downpours, the Donegal, Garden Spot and Lampeter-Strasburg boys’ and girls’ squads competed at Garden Spot on Tuesday, October 11.

In the girls’ race, Donegal outran Lampeter-Strasburg by a 19-36 count and Garden Spot by a margin of 16-47, improving to 5-2 on the year. In the boys’ race, the Indians (4-3) fell to L-S by a 20-35 margin while the Spartans edged the Indians 29-30.

The Pioneers captured the top four spots in the boys’ race, Donegal’s Zachary Karpel led his team with an eighth-place finish, registering 19:11 as his time. Micah Brydon was right behind him at 19:12.

Taking 10th and 11th, respectively, were Braden Bistline (19:17) and John Hinkle (19:25) with Dylan Lenhart (19:37) taking 13th place.

In the girls’ race, Molly Myers led a quartet of Donegal runners at the top of the pack. Her firstplace time of 21:02 was followed by Kathryn Fernald (21:09) Marleigh Ballard (21:44) and Addison Houck (21:49).

Also solidifying Donegal’s team finish were Emma Myers (10th, 25:21), Natalie Greiner (11th, 26:03), Baily Shoaf (12th, 26:14) and freshman Kaylan Shellenberger (14th, 26:17). BOYS’ SOCCER

The Donegal boys’ soccer team wrapped up the regular season with a dominant victory over Solanco and a 1-0 shutout of nonleague opponent South Western.

These wins and the 1-0 setback to Elco on Thursday, October 6, put the Indians at 13-5-0 on the year, 6-4-0 in league play.

On Monday, senior striker Tye White scored four times and added an assist in the 6-1 defeat of Solanco.

Andrew Myers scored the team’s first goal. LD Hanes had one goal and two assists.

Senior goalie Keagan Cote had two saves in this win. In shutting out South Western, he had three saves. Hanes scored off a Myers assist in the 22nd minute. The Indians finished 9-1-0 at home for the regular season. TENNIS

At the L-L League Girls’ Tennis Championships in Conestoga Valley, Corrine Watson and Kensington Edmond lost a tough doubles match to Ephrata’s Ava Howard and Elise Johnson 2-6, 6-4, 8-10.

At Flight Two doubles, Emily Frownfelter and Janelle Kingsboro came up short in a 9-7 final.

Watson also came up short at Flight Three singles to CV’s Sydney Harris, 2-6, 5-7 while Frownfelter lost 3-6, 3-6 at Flight Four to Maddy Kase of Cedar Crest.

Photo by Cheri Sine

Sophia Floyd shoots and scores one of the Indians’ two goals in their 2-0, nonleague victory over visiting Middletown on October 8.