With a small team and a small roster made up almost entirely of underclassmen, Wyoming Area could be considered a year early in making its first state field hockey tournament appearance.
Once the Lady Warriors arrived there, however, Kayla Kiwak made sure the scoring started early.
Kiwak completed a natural hat trick less than four minutes into the second half, then added a late assist as Wyoming Area overpowered Mifflinburg, 5-1, Tuesday in a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A first-round game at Central Columbia High School.
“It’s an extraordinary opportunity and I’m very excited to be part of it,” said Kiwak, a sophomore forward, who began playing as a fourth-grader and watched talented Wyoming Area teams in recent years make rapid climbs through the Wyoming Valley Conference only to fall short of district final or state tournament appearances. “I never thought we as a team would make it this far.”
Once they did, Kiwak was ready, leading the Lady Warriors to a 2-0 halftime lead.
“We’re very small, but we’re fierce,” Kiwak said.
The win advanced Wyoming Area (18-2-2) into Saturday’s state quarterfinals.
The Lady Warriors have never slowed down against older and possibly deeper teams and Kiwak said they’ve never worried about those issues.
“If anything, it’s been an advantage knowing that the next two years we’re all set,” said Kiwak, pointing to teams with large group of seniors knowing they’re down to a final chance. “ … Most of our freshmen and sophomores play on a junior and senior level.”
Kiwak was one example of that. She tipped a teammate’s shot through the goalie’s legs, pounced on a rebound and sent a reverse stick shot inside the near post and took a pass and scored from high in the circle by ripping a shot that ricocheted off the goalie’s pads and into the back of the cage.
Kari Melberger added a goal and three assists while Lauren Parente also scored in the win.
Wyoming Area had a 7-3 advantage in penalty corners. The Lady Warriors threatened on the first one, getting off a quality shot, then Kiwak made sure they scored on the second, 7:40 into the game by redirecting Melberger’s shot.
Kiwak scored again less than six minutes later by hustling to the rebound of Parente’s shot.
The score remained at 2-0 until into the second half when Kiwak struck again off a Melberger pass.
Melberger assisted on Parente’s goal for a 4-0 lead before Mifflinburg took advantage of Wyoming Area being a player short after a card, scoring its only goal.
“Our coach (Erin McGinley) always tells us to keep going,” Kiwak said. “Show no mercy, basically, and play the same way throughout the game, no matter what the score.”
Wyoming Area restored its four-goal led when Kiwak fed Melberger for the final goal with 2:29 left.
The defense held Mifflinburg to three shots, all in the second half. Ellie Glatz made two saves in the win.
Mifflinburg, which posted consecutive shutouts of higher-seeded teams to win the District 4 title, finished 13-8.
