By Todd Stanford
HUGHESVILLE -- If the public-address announcer at Hughesville's Raymond H. Perritt Stadium feels so inclined tonight, she should throw in a CD featuring the Cars' 1984 song "Hello Again."
It would be the perfect theme for the ensuing PIAA Class AA girls soccer semifinal.
For the fourth time this season, and the seventh time in the last two years, Lewisburg will meet Loyalsock. But never before has this much been on the line. With a win tonight, the survivor advances to Saturday's state championship game at HersheyPark Stadium (kickoff at noon), where either Springdale or South Park await. Those two District 7 schools will play in the other state semifinal tonight at 6 at Chartiers Valley High School.
Lewisburg (21-2-1), the District 4 champion, and Loyalsock (19-4-1) are 1-1-1 against each other this season. Lewisburg won 3-1 on the same field exactly two weeks ago in the District 4 semifinals. The Green Dragons went on to top defending state champ Montoursville in the final while the Lancers got the district's final state bid by beating Hughesville in overtime in the consolation game.
"We know them pretty good and they know us pretty good," Lewisburg coach Jose Vega said. "It's going to be a great match."
That semifinal victory two weeks ago was a big moment for the Green Dragons. They finished second to Loyalsock in each of the first two years of the Heartland Athletic Conference Division II, and fell 1-0 in overtime last year in the District 4 final.
"It seemed like they were just sick and tired of losing to us," Loyalsock coach Kyle Bidelspacher said after the district semifinals.
Indeed, Lewisburg -- which went 0-2-1 against Loyalsock in 2008, thus entering the district semis having never beaten the Lancers in five tries over two years -- had the better part of play for most of the night. The Dragons outshot the Lancers 10-2.
But that one shot was a goal by sophomore forward Cassaundra Soars in the 74th minute; her tally made the score 2-1. The Lancers were pressing for that tying goal until Lewisburg's Jenny Byerly made a great run down the left sideline with the ball before getting past a Lancers defender and scoring for a 3-1 advantage.
The Lancers are known for being dangerous on their crosses, which is how Soars scored: She took a nice feed from Paige Klingerman and knocked it home.
"Somehow they always seem to have an open player," Dragons keeper Jenna Wargo said after the district semifinals. "Whenever they do their crosses, I have to go all out and get the ball out of there."
Lewisburg will also have to find a way to contain senior forward Meredith Waters, who had two game-winning goals against the Dragons last year -- including the only score in the D-4 final.
Lewisburg has had a balanced scoring attack all season. Senior midfielder Kalyn Fisher and freshman forward Emily Cole share the team lead for goals with 22 each. Senior forward Byerly has 16 and junior forward Emily Lesher has 10.
