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(4)None, though, were as loud or as resounding as the screams of joy that emanated from players on the Donegal and Penn Manor squads Saturday.
Both of those teams ended extremely long title droughts at the Milton Hershey School's Henry Hershey Field, when they captured District Three crowns that had eluded their programs for 20 years.
When Jenna Hunter successfully completed her breakaway run by smacking home the game-winning goal in a 2-1 triumph over Oley Valley in the Class AA championship tilt, she was mobbed by her teammates.
When Jill Witmer successfully swooped in a penalty stroke with just over 4 minutes left in the Class AAA championship game against Hempfield, there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief from the Comets' sideline.
"It's about time," said PM coach Matt Soto, whose squad was turned away by Lower Dauphin in 2007 and whose school last won district gold in 1986.
"I really started getting emotional when we got our first corner in overtime," said Donegal coach Jessica Shellenberger. "Once we gained possession in overtime, I just knew we were going to score. When, I wasn't sure of, but I just knew we were going to win."
It was the Indians' first district Class AA title since 1990 and third overall counting the 1972 championship won before the district was split into two classes for the 1981 season.
The twin titles by county teams also marked the first time that happened since 1990, when Solanco won in Class AAA to join Donegal's celebration.
The 1980s were also a good era for L-L League squads, as Hempfield and Lancaster Mennonite in 1988, Hempfield and Garden Spot in 1987 and Hempfield and Warwick in 1985 captured the respective Class AAA and Class AA titles.
County teams showed their strength by winning nine of 11 big-school crowns from 1981 through 1991, beginning with Elizabethtown in '81 and '83, Hempfield in '85, '87 and '88, Penn Manor in '86, Ephrata in '89, Solanco in '90 and Garden Spot in '91.
Warwick picked up the banner with titles in 1998, 2000-01, and 2004-05.
On the Class AA level, Warwick won in 1985, Garden Spot in '87, Donegal in '90, Elco in '92 and '94 and Lancaster Mennonite in '88, '93, '96 and '99. LM also had second-place finishes in '84, '92, '94, '97, 2000, '01, '07 and '08.
Prior to the classification split in 1981, Lancaster County had district winners from Donegal in 1972, E-town in 1973 and '74, Pequea Valley in 1975 and Manheim Central in 1976.
So while area teams have a history of success in districts, recent history hasn't been as kind.
Saturday, the Indians and Comets changed all of that. Although, to be clear, it was going to happen in Class AAA since the final pitted Section One rivals against each other.
"I'm really, really happy," said PM senior forward Jill Witmer, who scored both goals for the Comets. "This is what we hoped to do, and now its coming true."
"We've wanted this forever," said Kelly Harsh, a senior defender. "It's really big. I just can't describe what this means."
It means that the Comets (24-0-1) kept their unbeaten streak going. The only blemish on that record is a 3-3 tie at Emmaus Sept. 12. The Green Hornets and Comets are in opposite sides of the bracket for the PIAA Tournament which gets under way Tuesday, meaning they could only meet in the final this year.
The Indians (21-4), meanwhile, were extended to overtime for only the first time this season. They reacted exactly how Shellenberger thought they would.
"I was confident in our speed and our skill in overtime," she said. "You take four players off the field (overtime in field hockey is played seven-on-seven) and that just gives us so much room to maneuver. When you have the players we have, with the skill level they have, that (set up) just showcases their talents and abilities."
"It just feels great to finally win. We always got knocked out in the last round (district semifinals) and when we won (2-1 over Palmyra), and we got here (to the finals) we were so excited," said Mary Lynam, a sophomore forward who dove and used her outstretched arm to score the first goal for the Indians. "We had a job to do and we kept our heads together and got the job done."
Hempfield, on the other hand, came close to finishing the job against Penn Manor. While the Knights shed quite a few tears at the conclusion of the game, they made believers not just out of the folks who watched the game, but of Soto, his staff and players.
"Hempfield is really, really good right now," said Soto, whose team has three wins against Hempfield this year. "Watch for them to make noise in states. (Hempfield coach) Julianne (Bojanic) has got them playing at a very high level."
The Knights matched Manor skill-for-skill, possession-for-possession, and passion-for-passion. In the end, a successful penalty stroke conversion by Witmer — on a play that even the Comets coaching staff said was too difficult to see for sure on a video replay of the game — was the difference in the outcome.
The Knights may have sounded a call of alarm for future opponents. The Indians and Comets, meanwhile, sounded the call of the wild — celebration-style.



