WEST PITTSTON — That ringing shot Lauren Parente pasted into the back of the cage did a lot more than break a jinx.
It signaled the end of Wyoming Area’s endless history of district despair.
Parente and Toni Minichello assisted each other’s first-half goals, Kayla Kiwak added an insurance goal in the second half and Wyoming Area advanced to the school’s first-ever District 2 field hockey title game by dominating Lake-Lehman, 3-0, in a Class A semifinal Thursday at the Atlas Complex.
“It feels amazing,” Parente said. “Our team has worked so hard for this.”
And waited so long.
Along with the championship game comes the first Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament appearance by a field hockey team in Wyoming Area’s history.
The Warriors were on the brink of the title game a couple times, but were eliminated in the District 2 Class 2A semifinals by Crestwood in 2012 and 2015 and by Wyoming Seminary in 2013 — all before the District 2 playoffs expanded to three classifications.
When that happened in 2016, Wyoming Area was eliminated by Lake-Lehman in the opening district round (quarterfinals) in each of the past two seasons.
“We’ve been waiting for this the whole year,” Parente said. “Everyone was talking about this game.”
The Warriors will get their district title shot Tuesday against Wyoming Seminary at Crestwood High School.
“I think it’s a testament to how hard they truly worked all season,” Wyoming Area’s second-year coach Erin McGinley said. “These kids wanted this win.”
After the Warriors played Lehman to a scoreless overtime tie early this season — that’s 75 minutes without either team scoring — Parente pounded a shot into the cage off Minichello’s feed with 15:56 to play in the first half.
“We go over those drills 100,000 times in practice,” Minichello, a freshman, said. “When we score our first goal, we know, ‘This is our game.’”
That broke the ice against Lake-Lehman goalie Amy Supey, who finished with a whopping 18 saves, and ended the deadlock between the two teams at 89:04 over the two games.
Suddenly, the dam broke.
On a penalty corner with 6:03 left before halftime, Parente feathered a pass to Minichello, who popped home a goal that gave the Warriors breathing room with a 2-0 lead.
Kruk polished off the victory with a goal with 21:21 to play, and that was plenty for goalie Ellie Glatz and a Warriors defense. They prevented the Black Knights from reaching a District 2 final and the PIAA playoffs for the first time in five years.
“Wyoming Area’s a wonderful team,” Lake-Lehman coach Jean Lipski said. “They played hard. They’re a great grass team. Their deflections and tips and passing was beautiful. They play good defense, they get low. Their sticks are low, they’re tough, strong girls. They get balls out of the circle well.”
And at long last, the Warriors are out of the district semifinals and into the championship game.
“I think it’s amazing,” Minichello said. “I knew this was a big day for us.”
Wyoming Area 7
Nanticoke 0
Toni Minichello, who had two assists, and Kayla Kiwak, who had one, each scored twice in Tuesday’s Class A quarterfinal win.
Lauren Parente also scored two goals while Cassidy Orzel had one.
Kari Melberger had an assist.
The Wyoming Area defense did not allow a shot or penalty corner.
Dallas 8
Pittston Area 0
Dallas opened a seven-goal halftime lead in Tuesday’s Class 2A quarterfinal.
The Mountaineers led in shots, 36-6, and penalty corners, 6-1.
