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FAIRVIEW VILLAGE>>In a rematch of last year’s District 1, Class 3A finale, the top-seeded Conestoga Pioneers earned a measure of revenge, reversing last year’s result with a 2-0 win over second-seeded Downingtown West Saturday evening at Methacton High School.
With the win, the Pioneers (22-0) move on to the first round of the PIAA championship tourney on Tuesday, where they will host Great Valley (16-6), the seventh place finisher from District 1. Game time is slated for 6 PM.
“This feels so great,” said Pioneers’ coach Regan Marscher. “This team has really put in the work, starting with the first practice of pre-season. It’s absolutely a bit sweeter to come against Downingtown West. It didn’t take much for them to get fired up.”
Last year’s finals left a bad taste in the mouths of the Pioneers when a game that seemed destined for overtime instead turned on a penalty stroke awarded in the final thirty seconds of regulation, which the Whippets slammed home to take the crown. A year later, Conestoga was looking to turn the tables.
“None of us had forgotten about last year,” said Pioneers goalie Alex Lepore, a Temple commit. “So it feels amazing to come back and get the win this season. Especially for me, having given up that stroke. I’m just so proud of this team.”
Lepore and the whole defensive unit played lights out in posting the shutout. The Whippets generated pressure inside the circle all day long, but time and again, the Pioneers turned them away.
“We played an amazing game defensively,” said Leopre, who finished with five saves. “The whole back side just worked together so well to get the ball out of the circle and out of the goal.”
The Pioneers grabbed the early lead with a first period goal from Peyton Esposito, on a Hannah Simon assist. Simon came through for Conestoga in the fourth, icing the game with a goal on a rebound.
“We all knew we needed to get another score,” said Simon. “So I just made sure I got in position and watched for the rebound. Once the rebound came, I knew I had to tap it in. It’s so great to come out on top this year. We are really looking forward to states.”
West settles for a runner-up finish this time around, but is also eager for the state tournament. The Whippets will host Warwick, the fourth place finisher from District 3, with game time slated for 7 PM.
“It’s not the result we wanted,” said West coach Courtney McPhearson. “But the ultimate goal is a state championship. We did a lot of things well tonight, but things didn’t quite go our way. We’ll just put this behind us and get back to work on Tuesday.”
D-Town West 0 0 0 0 –0
Conestoga 1 0 0 1—2
Goals
Conestoga—Esposito, Simon
Goalie Saves—Chepow (DW) 12, Leopre (CON) 5
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