Selinsgrove was the dominant hockey team in the area last fall. Given that understatement, it's no surprise that the Seals dominate The Daily Item Field Hockey All-Star Team for 2009.
The Seals, who ran through the Heartland Athletic Conference Division I schedule undefeated before cruising to their fifth consecutive District 4 Class AA title, put five players on the first team and four on the second team. HAC-I runner-up Mifflinburg placed three players on the first team, while Shikellamy had two.
Greenwood, Lewisburg, Midd-West and Milton were also represented on the 14-player first team.
Selinsgrove, which reached its first PIAA Class AA championship game during a spectacular 23-2 season, placed four seniors and a junior on the first team. Senior forward Hope Burke led the area in scoring by a wide margin, with 35 goals and 22 assists as the top point producer with 92 (two points for a goal, one for an assist). Senior midfielder Ashtin Klingler finished with 12 goals and 17 assists, while senior back Gina Kellett produced three goals and seven assists.
Another Seals back, junior Haley Kerstetter, was a defensive stopper and had one assist, while senior goalkeeper Amber Wendt was outstanding in cage with a save percentage of 91 percent. Wendt produced 68 saves against 75 shots through the state final, which Selinsgrove lost 1-0 to Lehighton on a controversial penalty stroke in overtime.
Mifflinburg, which went 15-4 in falling to Selinsgrove in the D-4 semifinals, is represented on the first team by Samantha Brininger, Maria Caruso and Brad Catherman.
Brininger, a senior back and HAC-I first-team selection, had three assists. Catherman, a junior forward-midfielder with breakaway speed, led the Wildcats in points with 11 goals and 16 assists. Caruso, a senior forward, produced 10 goals and four assists while working the left wing of the front line.
Shikellamy's two big guns -- Terra Hall and Chelsea Miller -- again made the first team in their senior seasons. Hall was a force at center-mid, producing 16 goals and two assists, while Miller led the Braves with 22 goals and 16 assists for 60 points.
Greenwood stellar junior forward Autumn Pellman was the runner-up to Burke in area points, finishing with 63 points on 28 goals and seven assists. She also led the Tri-Valley League in points with 49, based on 21 goals and seven assists in 14 league games.
Lewisburg junior midfielder Rachel Sumfest led the Green Dragons in points with 14 goals and eight assists, while Midd-West junior midfielder Carli Furgison was the Mustangs' go-to player with nine goals and sevens assists for 25 points.
Four-time HAC-I all-star Gabrielle Seibert, a senior midfielder for Milton, rounds out the first team.
Selinsgrove placed four players on the Daily Item all-star second team, including junior forward Paige Bordner, senior back Lauren Markley, junior midfielder Candice Smith, and junior forward Ashley Youngman.
Line Mountain placed three players on the second team, including junior midfielder Kelsey Lagerman, senior midfielder Hope Martz, and junior forward Courtney Scott.
Shikellamy's two second-team selections include senior forward Sam Balonis and senior back Joie Burns.
Other Daily Item second-team all-star selections include: Southern Columbia senior forward Jenna Carl; Greenwood junior goalkeeper Anna Heggenstaller; Lewisburg senior forward Hannah Jones; Mifflinburg junior back Abby Nolan; and Midd-West senior back Emma Shirey.
Sports
Selinsgrove field hokey team puts five on all-star first team
- Sports
-
-
Panthers, Shore to settle AAA crown
One game. Milton played 19 times (once canceled by rain) and won 15, making the postseason for the first time since 2007, and its season comes down to one, winner-take-all game.
-
Prolific offense carries Milton to final
A smile creased the corners of Jordon Bordner's mouth and soon his pearly whites gleamed through. If he thought about the question before, the Milton junior played coy for a reporter.
-
Three Braves heading to Lyco
In a year of twists and turns for the Shikellamy wrestling program, three seniors have decided to follow their former coach and drive the 40 miles to attend Lycoming College, in Williamsport.
-
Weather washes out schedule
While the severe thunderstorm that blew through the Susquehanna Valley stopped the District 4 baseball and softball playoffs before they ever got started on Tuesday afternoon, the weather won't force the Milton baseball team to wait anymore.
-
District 4 playoffs washed out
The thunderstorm that blew through the Valley on Tuesday afternoon has pushed back the entire District 4 softball and baseball schedule.
-
Adames emerges for Black Panthers
Chace Phillips had a moment of pause, looking down at Reynaldo Adames prone at his feet. Milton's senior leadoff hitter had made a hard, head-first slide into third base and didn't immediately get up.
-
Bottom of order sparks Ironmen
Trevor Leitzel was probably joshing when he explained how he came to go 3-for-3 in Danville's district quarterfinal win Friday at Wyalusing Valley.
-
Lauer steps down
For the last four years, Dave Lauer has considered hanging up his whistle and clipboard. He just didn't know for sure that the time was right. But he found an out. After 30 years as the Selinsgrove girls track and field coach " and 40 years of coaching overall " Lauer took that next big step.
-
Shots from the Hip: Fireside blogging
Hotdogs roasting over an open fire, mud squishing between soggy toes ...
-
H.S. softball: A great team by any other name
For the longest time, Warrior Run softball history could be summed up with one name: Laura Harris.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Panthers, Shore to settle AAA crown
