High School Girls soccer

Lady Marauders soccer brings home another district championship

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- It's a noteworthy, memorable accomplishment for a high school sports team to win a district championship.

Successively defending one is even more impressive.

But pulling off the feat four straight times puts a team in elite, often uncharted territory.

The Bishop Guilfoyle Academy girls soccer program laid claim to that very special achievement Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium, capturing its fourth consecutive District 6 Class 1A title with a 2-0 victory over Bishop Carroll in the championship game.

Undefeated BG, which improved to 18-0-3 this year coming off a berth in the state championship game and a second-place finish to Faith Christian last November, laid the groundwork for a return trip to the state final with Tuesday's district title.

"Four in a row is obviously outstanding, but this senior class has been really special,'' BG coach Joe DeLeo said. "It really didn't shock me that we did it for the fourth time tonight. I'm super proud of this entire team, but especially proud of our senior class. They've been through a whole lot during their four years here.''

Among BG's top senior four-year standouts is speedy, high-scoring forward Emma Marasco, who clinched Tuesday's championship win by scoring on a penalty kick with 10:39 remaining to give the Lady Marauders their final margin of victory, and acrobatic goalkeeper CeCe Rumfola, who registered her 12th shutout of the season.

Other senior players who have been part of BG's championship picture are defender Catie Cammarata, defender/midfielder Jenna Geishauser, and midfielders Lily Sapp, Gabby Earnest and Keira Ronan.

"It feels really good,'' Marasco, who will continue her soccer career on the collegiate level at Saint Francis University next year, said of being a member of BG's fourth straight district title team. "All of our hard work has paid off.''

Top-seeded BG played a strong territorial game Tuesday, limiting second-seeded Carroll (10-6-3) to just seven shots ongoal while the Lady Marauders had 19 shots on goal of their own. Rumfola's most taxing save occurred about seven minutes into the second half, when a Carroll shot nearly escaped her grasp before she re-positioned herself and made a diving save.

Rumfola was ecstatic about taking home her fourth district gold medal.

"Oh my gosh, four district championships feels amazing,'' said Rumfola, who will play collegiate soccer at Frostburg State University in Maryland. "It's been a matter of teamwork through the good times and the hard times in these four years.''

BG broke out of a scoreless tie just over four minutes into the second half when junior forward Meggie Ritchey tapped a loose ball past Carroll sophomore keeper Sophie Cunningham.

"I took a pass, the ball hit their goalie, and I just kept running on through and I was able to pop it in with the help of my amazing teammates,'' said Ritchey, who got an assist from Sapp on the goal.

Thanks largely to outstanding work in the cage by Cunningham, who made several outstanding saves during the evening, the score remained 1-0 until Marasco's penalty kick goal that occurred after freshman forward/midfielder Makenna Miller was fouled near the cage.

"Makenna had good hustle on the play, she was able to draw the foul, and I was able to put in the penalty kick,'' Marasco said.

Carroll, which graduates six seniors and has no juniors on its current roster, played a solid game.

"It was a close game and a well-fought match,'' Carroll coach Lexi Regula said. "Everybody on both sides hustled. We'll be a pretty young team next year with no seniors on the roster, so we're hoping that some incoming freshmen will try out for the team.''

BG will play the winner of tonight's District 9 championship game between Karns City and Elk County Catholic next week in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs at a site and time to be determined.

"I think we've had some harder games in the district tournament than we may have expected, but that will help prepare us and build our confidence for the state playoffs,'' Marasco said.

SCORE BY HALVES

Bishop Guilfoyle 0 2 -- 2

Bishop Carroll 0 0 -- 0

Second half: 1, BG--Ritchey (L. Sapp), 35:54. 2, BG--Marasco (penalty kick), 10:39.

Shots on goal: Bishop Guilfoyle 19, Bishop Carroll 7.

Saves: Rumfola, BG, 7; Cunningham, BC, 14.

Corner kicks: Bishop Guilfoyle 2, Bishop Carroll 0.

Records: Bishop Guilfoyle (18-0-3); Bishop Carroll (10-6-3).