Pennsbury High School Field Hockey

October 17, 2023
CR North 1, Pennsbury 2

A Hydra is a many-headed serpent or monster from Greek mythology that was slain by Hercules. However, facing such a creature is not for the faint of heart as it is said to grow 2 heads where one is removed, making the task more difficult with each step. Josh Kaufman's book, How to Fight a Hydra, is an essential handbook for anyone getting ready to face an ambitious challenge and the Pennsbury Falcon's head coach, Traci Curtis, was drawn to this fable at just the right time.  She and her coaching staff used the Hydra story with the team to create the perfect metaphor leading into the final five games of their 2023 season. Their serpent had five heads - Hatboro, Truman, Bensalem, CR South, and CR North. Each of those five games was a head of the Hydra and each one had to be faced individually with courage and confidence. After coming off of an eight game losing streak, the Falcons kicked off the challenge by defeating Hatboro-Horsham and Truman. That put some spark in their fight. Two Hydra heads slain. Next came their victory against Bensalem on senior night to knock off the third head of the serpent. The task became more intense, as expected when battling such a monster, but PHS prevailed over Council Rock South on an exciting Friday afternoon, slaying the fourth head of the Hyrdra and really rattling the beast.  Continuing to draw inspiration from the most unconventional source, the Pennsbury Falcons began to feel like Hercules in their battle and come together in the most powerful way - using, not swords, but love, unity, sisterhood, believing, and family as their weapons. Their game against Council Rock North would be the last of the regular season and the final serpent head to be slain to complete the task. PHS lost to CR North the first time they met earlier in the season and there is always the historical rivalry to amp things up. Today was high intensity. Both teams came out with something to prove - PHS wanting to move up in the Patriot Division and North protecting a playoff berth. As North notched the first goal six minutes into the first quarter, Curtis knew it was going to be a long rollercoaster ride kind of night. She was right - twenty seconds later, the Falcons tied it up 1-1 with a convincing goal by Chelsea Todd. With the help of Riley Henderson in the middle distributing the ball to the forwards, right wing, Mia Popovich, fed the circle allowing Todd to clean up. The second quarter was a scoreless back and forth with many moments being won by both defenses including a great defensive save by PHS senior, Gabby Darling. Tied at 1-1, the five minute half time was a much needed breather for both teams. The Falcons had possession to start the third quarter. Gabby Darling, whose talents reach beyond being a defender, used her strong aerial to kick off the offensive push and one minute after the starting whistle Mia Popovich collected a rebound off of the pads and scored what would end up being the winning goal. The remainder of the third quarter was full of energy and excitement end-to-end and then the fourth was another scoreless fifteen minutes of high intensity hockey. CR North earned 7 penalty corners to Pennsbury's 2 and the shots on goal and goalie saves were pretty even. "We really worked on possession skills today and focusing on making decisions that would allow us to keep the ball on offense," explains Curtis. "Although we did not capitalize on earning penalty corners like we wanted to, we were very pleased with their passing, stepping up, and defensive strengths. Our attack created many scoring opportunities and finishing on two of them was enough today, but as we move forward as a team, we need to get better at knowing how to score more goals for sure. Our goalie, Kayla Shaffer, has done an absolutely incredible job this season. She made some key saves tonight to keep us in the game. She rose the the challenge from day one, knowing the role she had to play. It has been a joy to watch her work hard and succeed the way she has. We attribute a lot of her growth to our new goalie coach, Michelle Siegle (Coach Siegs) who has guided Shaffer and our JV goalie for the past two months. North is a great team and they always come out ready to play at a super high level. They have been such a force this season and definitely made us earn every moment today. It's always a great game between us and it's a shame there has to be someone who walks away with the loss, but we make each other better and that helps us all in the end. They kept earning penalty corners in the final quarter all the way to the 2 minute mark and made us work harder than ever to put a complete game together." As the clock ticked down with the Falcons still leading 2-1, the orange and black bench toed the sideline ready to run. The final head of the Hydra was slain giving them the ending they worked for - five wins in a row and sending ripples through the league. The dog pile said it all. "The reward for slaying the Hydra is never the treasure you think it is supposed to be. We are most likely not in playoffs and we aren't winning any championship trophies, but that is not the reward we were seeking. The treasure is the journey we took to get to this point and the multitude of lessons we will walk away with to use in our lives. We did it together - Coaches Lori Riley, Lauren Gerth, Michelle Siegle, and I fell in step beautifully and I cannot thank them enough for their dedication, heart, contributions, and friendship. Because of our connection, there are 38 female athletes in our family who are brave souls, prepared for their next battle and can light their torch with confidence and move forward with pride," says Curtis with a smile. Best of luck to all of the teams making a playoff run. Thank you for making us work harder and be better than we were when we started. Go out and represent! We will be rooting for you.

October 13, 2023
Pennsbury 1, CR South 0

Patience is a virtue and the Pennsbury Falcons have proved that sometimes it just takes some time. The Falcons have been more than patient, riding a rollercoaster of ups and downs through the season, yet never losing their drive or heart along the way and best of all, gaining confidence across the board. Tonight marked their fourth victory in a row behind an eight game losing streak and it was a sweet victory against Council Rock South who defeated them by one goal back on September 12th. The two teams are locked in the Patriot Division standings seeming to mirror each others' wins and losses making this meeting very significant. "We dug deep to prepare mentally and focus specifically on our individual skills, small game tactics, and large game pieces over the past week," explains head coach, Traci Curtis. It was imperative for us to put all of those things together to play a complete game if we wanted to beat a very talented Council Rock South. We knew we were capable, but not naive that at this point in the season teams may not look the same as the first time around. This battle of the birds got off to a slow start as both teams settled into the moment. The first quarter was scoreless with opportunities for the Falcons and the Hawks, but no one able to finish. The second quarter went by without a goal as well keeping it locked at zeros going into halftime. "We were happy with our performance, possessing the ball for much of the time, but wanting to get the battle out of the midfield and use our width better. CR South was slipping through and getting breakaways that were fast and forcing us into panicked recoveries down the field," said Curtis. "The coaches just kept emphasizing patient timing and more aggressiveness to the ball at the same time - it's like an artful dance of knowing when to slow and when to go." Pennsbury did put it all together in the third quarter amping up their passing sequences and connecting down the field. Three minutes into the quarter with the help of Olivia Coen, Riley Askey found Mia Popovich for a great finish and the first goal of the game. It would stand as the only goal and the game winner for the Falcons. "Riley Askey gets the job done when she is in there and has helped us to score at important times in a couple of games. Mia Popovich is just an incredibly consistent athlete who provides the spark and energy we need to sustain. Her speed and step to the ball is unmatched and she is always making thing happen. She is hard to stop down the line - it's really fun to watch her carry the ball." "Mia's goal in conjunction with stellar defensive play by Kaylin Flannery is what contributed significantly to this win. Defense wins games and today Flannery, along with a defensive save by standout defender, Gabby Darling, did just that. Senior defender, Riley Henderson also made many strong plays today and goalie, Kayla Shaffer, earned the shut out with force."  "This was our best win of the season and one that we have been working for since August 14th. We are not finished and know that right ahead of us is another serious battle with Council Rock North. Today's game provided great momentum as we travel to North next week to close out the regular season. Our story has been building over the past two months and we are ready to write our beautifully exciting ending." 

October 11, 2023
PENNSBURY 1, BENSALEM 0

Lights! Camera! Action!
Those three words are a great sum of the atmosphere at tonight's game between the Falcons and the Bensalem Owls. It was quite the lead up to this special event - Pennsbury's Senior Night game. After a multitude of time and location changes due to the new track being put down in the stadium, the PHS seniors were gifted their special night at home on their turf to celebrate and be honored.
Coach Traci Curtis explains, "Up until just a day or two ago, we were planning to play the game off site, and before that, we were potentially going to play the game on our old grass field. So many scenarios were flying around, but it ended up working out.
“We all want to thank our athletic director, administration, and everyone involved in helping to get us this game on our turf. It meant a lot to our graduating players and our whole hockey family to be able to have senior night on our new turf that has played a significant role in our season - we are just feeling like we can call it our home."
Curtis continues, "It was a beautiful fall night under the lights, and the excitement from the players was bouncing off of every surface. Coming off of a team dinner last night and the hype surrounding this moment (that marks the beginning of the end for those 12th graders) is sometimes too overwhelming. Lots of cameras, selfies from every angle, and a haphazard, shortened warmup creates the perfect storm of unpreparedness. The JV set the tone with a great win and awesome performance, so we were all extra pumped pregame.”
Curtis has been around long enough to know that as amazing as senior nights are, they can also be a distraction that places obstacles in the way of the task at hand.
"Bensalem always shows up the second time with newfound strength and skill,” the Falcons’ coach said. “They sneak up on you and force you to adjust your game in real time. They came ready to fight tonight and that they did.”
The Falcons dominated in possession, shots on goal and penalty corners, but the Owls' packed defense made a ton of strong stops and denied the orange and black over and over.
"We were coming on strong, moving the ball well, and using speed, but we just could not penetrate and finish in the circle," Curtis said with frustration. "We were making some mistakes at significant moments that we shouldn't be making at this point in the season, and those things will be what keeps us from succeeding. It doesn't matter what happened or why it happened, we just need to do better."
Bensalem was able to stop PHS on eleven penalty corner opportunities. They were making defensive saves, using solid sticks in the circle to stop shots, and just leaving their heart on the field. The Falcons returned the effort denying just as much in their defensive end. Goalie Kayla Shaffer faced only a few shots on goal, but every stop she made was a game saver. The score was tied at zeros going into the fourth quarter, and the action was continuing to amp up!
A little less than halfway through the final quarter, Pennsbury had another offensive push into the circle, and Chelsea Todd got her stick on the ball in a scuffle in front of the cage and nudged it past the goalie. That would stand as the only goal of the game.
"The seniors started and finished the game tonight with heart, and that helped us to squeak out this win," said Curtis of her nine graduating players. "We had the edge with the atmosphere, which compensated for the craziness of the evening's events (which included the PHS freshmen singing the National Anthem).
“It is about the moment and acknowledging the significance of this athletic rite of passage - endings are often tricky to navigate, but it's all the small things that get you to the ending that matters most. That's the message for our team right now - we have two more chances - what we do with those chances is up to us. Congratulations to our seniors: Gabby Darling, Riley Henderson, Allison Pakula, Mia Popovich, Rylie Borgman, Chelsea Todd, Lily Abraham, Kaylin Flannery, and Kayla Shaffer. May you always RAISE THE BAR along your journey.”
Pennsbury will host Council Rock South on Friday and then travel to Council Rock North on Tuesday for their last regular season contest.

October 9, 2023
Truman 0, Pennsbury 7

The Falcons are getting used to playing under the lights as their schedule has been filled with sun set start times in stadiums across the league. Tonight was no different, but it was a bit more special as Truman celebrated their senior night with Pennsbury by their side. "It was an honor to be there to watch their seniors walk across the field with their families," said coach Traci Curtis. "We have been a part of other team's celebrations this season, but there is just something extra special about sharing it with Truman. Their team's journey is the story that should be told - there is so much to learn from them. Those coaches are doing incredible things and those players have more heart than all of us combined. They dig deep each and every day to improve without a single win to validate their efforts, but they never give up. Their heads are held high with gratitude." When the starting whistle blew the energy was palpable from both sides and the atmosphere was electric! Pennsbury kicked off the scoring in the first quarter with a goal by Olivia Coen on an assist from Chelsea Todd. Todd got a touch on the next one a few minutes later off of a strong Rylie Borgman drive. Olivia Coen connected for a second time off of a great sweep from Abby Iacona near the end of the first quarter to go up 3-0.  The Falcons did a broad substitution to start the second quarter giving a variety of players an opportunity to get out there and compete. The Tigers were strong, determined, and visibly improved from their first meeting with Pennsbury holding the orange and black scoreless for the entire quarter entering halftime with the score still 3-0. "Truman is very skilled in their offensive circle earning penalty corners. They caught us not moving our feet and capitalized on that. Their set plays are very well done - they had some great opportunities in front of our cage," explains Curtis. The Tigers did not allow PHS to score again until 5 minutes left in the third quarter. Alaina Bird got a hard shot off on the goalie's pads and Sam Nesteruk had her stick down and ready and scored off the rebound to put PHS up 4-0. Pennsbury added 3 more goals in the fourth quarter with heads up rebounding off pads and quick sticks by Riley Henderson, Abby Iacona, and Rylie Borgman. "We were happy to see our girls moving the ball well in all parts of the field and cleaning up off pads offensively. We moved 36 players from both JV and Varsity through the line up tonight and it was an awesome family effort. Yes, we won the game, but tonight was not about us, it was about honoring the Truman players and focusing on the integrity of the game we all love. They played a great game for 60 minutes and put up a noble fight. We wish all of their seniors the best as they move forward and thank them for showing us what PERSEVERANCE and HEART looks like in sports." Pennsbury will celebrate their seniors on Wednesday when they play Bensalem. 

October 6, 2023
Hatboro 0, Pennsbury 6

The Pennsbury Falcons were moving slowly as they boarded the team bus less than 24 hours after a hard fought battle with Neshaminy the night before. This would mark the third game of the week for PHS and they were feeling it. The ride to Hatboro-Horsham was quiet, but marked by an underlying vibration of Friday excitement and the hope of breaking an eight game losing streak. And that they did. The Falcons got off to a super slow start, but Ryan Burdette lit a spark with a beautiful deflection goal on an assist from Rylie Borgman. The Falcons were just warming up. Abby Iacona made it a 2-0 game with a heads up play collecting her own rebound off the goalie's pads and putting it into the back of the cage. Angelina Kenney connected on an assist from Mia Popovich in the third quarter putting the orange and black up 3-0. Popovich scored one of her own to kick off the fourth quarter on a beautifully placed pass from Avalee Shumski. The Falcons, still thirsty for more after the long draught, scored two more to finish off the game and tally a total of six for the day. Shumski added another assist as she crossed the ball into the circle to the waiting Regan Rodriguez who finished with an incredible tip from the stroke line. Rylie Borgman notched her goal with 13 seconds left on a pass into the circle from Riley Henderson. Ava Jordan, Chelsea Todd, Cailyn Reilly, Riley Askey, Olivia Coen, Sam Nesteruk, Ayla Alon, Gabby Darling, Kaylin Flannery, Abby Anderer, Alaina Bird, and goalie, Kayla Shaffer worked so hard out there today to make a difference as well.  "Our girls have been showing great resilience, patience, persistence, and passion through the last eight games," explains Coach Traci Curtis. We needed a game like this to just keep us going and set the tone for our final four match ups. Now is the time for us to dig deep and decide how we want to finish 2023. We have been writing a wonderful story together since August 14th and today was a great start to prepare for the ending chapter. 

October 5, 2023
Neshaminy 4, Pennsbury 0

The Pennsbury Falcons traveled to Neshaminy to battle it out for a second time this season, but this time it felt very different. The bus didn't take it's normal right hand turn off the long drive to drop the PHS players off at the famous front grass field named for former coach, Sheila Murphy. This time the bus turned left and headed to the stadium turf - the new home of the Skins team. "I believe the new setting was actually helpful for our girls as they historically have a mental block when they step foot on that grass field," explained PHS Coach, Traci Curtis. "The turf location allowed us to view this game as any other and not make the association that puts obstacles in our mental preparation. Our girls were ready, excited, and more confident than ever." The night was a special one for the whole Neshaminy family as the 1983 State Championship team was being honored before the game. Instead of a distraction, it was a welcomed pomp and circumstance for Curtis, a Neshaminy field hockey alum. "I was grateful that the ceremony was planned for our game night. I loved seeing those players being honored along with my high school coach. My time playing at Neshaminy were some of the best years of my life and helped to shape me into who I am today - it is rooted in who I am. My greatest wish is that my players feel that same level of connection and impact years from now when they think of Pennsbury field hockey," said Curtis. Once the game began, the fight was on. Pennsbury fell 6-0 the first time they played back on August 30th - tonight they arrived as a completely different team. Neshaminy scored halfway through the first quarter to go up 1-0 and that score remained until the last five minutes of the second quarter when the Skins squeaked in 2 more goals sending PHS into halftime down 3-0. "Our girls were fighting hard and doing extremely well on both sides of the ball. We could not have asked for more effort, heart, skill, and unity from them. What made us most proud was the confidence they were showing - we were winning the small moments and those little victories mean a lot to us." The third quarter was scoreless for both teams and the pace just kept increasing at every turn. "We had some opportunities and were creating some really nice offensive pushes, but Neshaminy's defense is tough and we could not finish the few times we got really close," said Curtis. Despite the scoring draught, Curtis was completely happy with holding such a powerful force to three goals for as long as they did. The fourth goal came with only 24 seconds left until the final buzzer. Kasey Rieger, one of Neshaminy's strongest scorers, lifted the ball past the PHS goalie to add one and close out the win 4-0. "The first time we played them Rieger scored 3 on us, tonight she scored 1. Those are the winning pieces we take away with us. We are a better team than when we started - we have gotten so much smarter." Pennsbury's goalie, Kayla Shaffer, faced 10 penalty corners and 19 really strong shots on goal holding her own and protecting the cage with strength. Senior, Gabby Darling, Freshman, Cailyn Reilly, and Senior, Riley Henderson were a fierce threesome in the backfield. Freshmen, Ryan Burdette and Abby Iacona worked like mad on the offense to create opportunities. Juniors, Ava Jordan, Angelina Kenney, and Olivia Coen contributed a ton of effort in their roles. Senior, Kaylin Flannery had some beautiful anticipations and interceptions on defense. Seniors, Chelsea Todd and Rylie Borgman showed great focus and tenacity tonight while juniors, Riley Askey and Avalee Shumski came in and did what was asked of them. "We are walking away from this one super proud. Our focus this week was on making sure we keep the FUN in what we are doing each and every day out here. We continue to make each other laugh and that is so important to help take the sting out of our stream of losses. This gave us a spark that will carry us into these final weeks of the season." Pennsbury travels to Hatboro Horsham on Friday and then Truman on Monday. 

October 3, 2023
CB South 5, Pennsbury 0

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail." For the seventh game in a row the Pennsbury Falcons have fallen short against their opponent and once again will pick themselves up, dust off the dirt, and try again. The Central Bucks South Titans celebrated their seniors at tonight's game and iced the cake with a 5-0 shutout against the visiting Falcons. South came out fueled by the exciting vibe and went up 2-0 in the first 5 minutes, pushing PHS on their heels and dominating from end to end. "We were more ready than we showed tonight, said Head Coach, Traci Curtis. Our girls are so much more capable - we just let CB South dictate the game and we could not generate any offense or execute much with success. I think our group is in the midst of some mental mayhem that is causing us to have to work so much harder than necessary for even the small things on the field," explains Curtis. After going down two so early, we swapped out goalies and shifted some players around. The Titans just kept coming at us with speed, strength, and skill and added two more goals before the half making it 4-0 before we could blink. "Our sophomore goalie, Abby McCole, is brand new to the position and she is doing a phenomenal job. She held her own in the cage against extremely talented players. McCole faced about 14 penalty corners and 18 shots on goal in the three quarters she played and only 3 got by her. Pennsbury held South scoreless in the third quarter, but Erin Kelly was able to connect one last time in the 4th giving her a hat trick and making it a 5-0 game. Gabby Darling helped McCole defend the red zone with strength and confidence. Darling had a beautiful defensive save and led the backs with great effort. Other stand out performances came from Olivia Coen and Abby Iacona.  The Falcons will go back to the drawing board and prepare to face Neshaminy on Thursday for their second battle of the season. 

September 28, 2023
Pennsbury 0, Central Bucks West 7

The Pennsbury Falcons have not won a game since September 13th and tonight they fell short once again. They have scored three goals in the last six games and have had 30 goals scored against. The journey through this portion of the season, while very difficult, is where all of the most important learning takes place. Through each setback our team connection becomes stronger and the way in which we breakdown the games and self reflect becomes more fine tuned. It is easy to look at those stats and immediately think negatively, but there is a way to interpret that data differently. Despite filling up the loss column, there are so many more valuable victories weaving their way through our hearts. In those same six games, the Falcons' goalie has saved 75 shots, the defense has had 8 strong defensive saves, they have faced over 60 penalty corners (stopping all but a handful), taken 25 shots on goal, and earned 20 penalty corner opportunities. "We are working on shifting to a growth mindset - flipping the script and looking at the stats and game film for what we are doing well is a big step," explains Traci Curtis. "There are so many small victories that are not recorded on paper - our girls have held really strong teams scoreless for extended periods, come out and caught teams off guard with smart, solid play, and are never giving up every step of the way." One of the winning moments came tonight as Pennsbury went into the second quarter of the game against a fast and furious CB West team down 1-0. "Holding them to one goal is huge for us. They had 6 or 7 penalty corners in a row in the first quarter and did not convert on any of them. Unfortunately, a stroke was called against us and they scored their first goal on that opportunity," said Curtis. The goalie got a piece of it, but it got by her. We were so proud of our girls for staying patient, being smart, and taking their game to the next level against a team that would have intimidated us weeks ago. West scored off the pads six minutes into the second quarter going up 2-0 and then made it 3-0 a minute later sending the Falcons into halftime down by three. The Bucks bookended the third quarter with two more goals and finished the scoring by adding two more in the fourth. "Our passing combinations and individual skills just keep getting better with each game and to perform the way we did tonight proves that our girls are understanding how imperative it is to play with confidence. That growth mindset means not playing to stop the other team from scoring, but instead taking initiative to create offensive pushes so we can score! It sounds simple, but it is a huge piece to the puzzle. CB West is a force and we are grateful for the chance to face competition like we have over the past two weeks. It will only make us better. Pennsbury's senior goalie, Kayla Shaffer, put forth another RAISE THE BAR team honor performance. She made saves of all kind tonight and only worked harder with each ball that hit the back of her cage. Junior, Angelina Kenney also received the team honor because of her overall effort and determination to pick herself up after a slow start. Kenney got her stick on everything and played with pure strength and grit tonight. Senior captain, Riley Henderson notched another amazing defensive save as she owned her role in a new space on the field. Tonight the Falcons partnered with the Pennsbury MiniTHON committee to raise money and awareness for families impacted by childhood cancer. "The GOLD OUT focus is a valuable victory any way you look at it - we lost on the field but not in life, said Curtis. The orange and black will take their season on the road for a stint of away games next week against CB South, Neshaminy, and Hatboro-Horsham. 

September 26, 2023
Central Bucks East 3, Pennsbury 1

As the remnants of hurricane Ophelia blanketed the area, the Pennsbury Falcons bundled up and boarded the bus for their battle against Central Bucks East. The two teams had already faced one another during a preseason scrimmage, but there was no doubt that the Falcons and the Patriots would come out as different versions of themselves on this day a little over a month later. "We have come a long way since August," explains head coach, Traci Curtis. "There has been positive growth across all facets of the field in skill, technique, tactics, strategy, and confidence and we are very proud of that growth. Today's game, despite the loss, was one of our best performances all season because we sustained awesome intensity and skill for a full 60 minutes." The Patriots, fueled by the excitement of their senior night celebrations, found the back of the net six minutes into the first quarter and went ahead 1-0. PHS didn't get rattled. That lead stood through the rest of the quarter as the Falcons tough defense held the Patriots off with authority. "One of our focuses after watching film was adjusting some defensive strategies and it paid off tremendously today. The girls truly listened, learned, and applied. In addition, our goalie, Kayla Shaffer, really worked in tandem with our defensive unit to keep us successful." While Pennsbury held the Patriots to one goal, they used their theme of RAISE THE BAR to tie it up with four minutes left in the second quarter. Riley Borgman took control of a free hit opportunity and crossed the ball beautifully into the circle. Riley Askey was in a great spot on the far post for a picture perfect deflection and the Falcons found themselves neck and neck with CBE. The orange and black went into halftime excited and ready to continue fighting with force and they did exactly that until halfway into the third quarter when East got one by the PHS goalie during a scuffle in front of the cage to take the lead again 2-1. "The opportunities were there for us to take the lead and tie it up again after going down, but we were just coming up a tiny bit short. Our girls were passing beautifully, connecting and working so well together, using the outsides, and getting breakaways, but we just couldn't make it happen. Our defense was keeping us in the game - Riley Henderson had an amazing defensive save that perfectly reflected how much heart she was playing with. Gabby Darling had a defensive save as well - they both are senior captains and set the tone for everyone else stepping up for the entire game," Curtis said with a smile. It remained a 2-1 game through the rest of the third quarter and almost through the entire fourth. The Patriots squeaked one final goal in on a beautiful outside shot to the corner with only 27 seconds left in the game. The final score was 3-1, but the game as a whole was a much closer battle for 60 minutes. Pennsbury even earned a penalty corner with a couple minutes left in the game but unfortunately did not execute and lost the opportunity to even the score. CB East earned 14 penalty corners and had 16 shots on goal - the fact that 3 were what made it onto the scoreboard makes us really happy and proud. We walked away from this one with our heads up and our hearts full. So many pieces worked today and many players rose to the occasion and proved to themselves that they are capable of achieving - Abby Iacona, Ryan Burdette, Mia Popovich, Avalee Shumski, Angelina Kenney, Cailyn Reilly -  Confidence is the key for us and tonight helped us in so many ways. Congratulations to the CB East seniors on a great night. Pennsbury will move to the other side of the compass rose and host CB West on Thursday. 

September 22, 2023
Pennsbury 1, Souderton 6

There was a pink hue that fell over the Pennsbury Field Hockey team today and it had nothing to do with Barbie. The game against visiting Souderton marked the "PINK OUT" game as the Falcons honored people whose lives are impacted by breast cancer. The best part about games like this is that it allows us to recalibrate and gain perspective on what is important," explains head coach, Traci Curtis. We are in a tough spot right now struggling to put together a complete game and walk away with a win. Being able to direct our focus into such a meaningful cause was a welcome distraction and a great way to get excited to play." Souderton found the back of the cage first scoring on a deflection halfway through the first quarter. They connected again in the first with two minutes left on a beautifully placed penalty corner shot from the top of the circle. The Falcons were not rattled being down 2-0 and used their determination to cut the lead 2-1 five minutes into the second quarter. Riley Askey got the ball into the circle with heads up playing and got a shot off for Mia Popovich to deflect and redirect past the keeper. The combination was successful and a much needed spark. The remainder of the second quarter was a good battle. The orange and black (with a bit of pink) were working hard to hold the Indians to those two goals, but Souderton had other plans and lifted one past Pennsbury's Shaffer with 3 minutes left before the half. "It was not an option to let down with a 3-1 score against a very strong, talented Souderton team, said Curtis. The coaches and I are really trying to find different ways to convince the girls to believe in themselves and their abilities." Unfortunately it's easier said than done. Souderton extended the lead to 4-1 a few minutes into the third quarter and snuck a fifth goal in with 4 seconds remaining in that same quarter.  The final goal came in the fourth making it 6-1 and despite continued efforts to find the back of the cage, Pennsbury just could not make it happen. Some shining moments included the Falcon's defense standing strong against 12 penalty corners, Riley Henderson multitasking in various positions, Ryan Burdette using new skills to win the 1-1 and keep possession, Mia Popovich fighting down the right side and scoring, Ayla Alon coming in and contributing on defense, and Riley Askey getting the assist on the goal. "Our schedule does not allow for any lapses in focus as we prepare to face Central Bucks East and West next week. It is imperative that we pay attention to the pieces that need the most work and dig below the surface to pull the positive out of each moment. The only choice is to keep moving forward without being burdened by the past and take responsibility for every move we make." 

September 20, 2023
Pennridge 3, Pennsbury 0

It was a beautiful night for field hockey as the Falcons traveled the long road to Pennridge to face the Rams. After a stellar performance, the JV squad walked away with a 1-0 victory and set the tone for the Varsity team who played the second game of the evening. "The JV game set the tone and our girls were excited and more than ready when they took the field under the lights to face a talented Pennridge team," explains coach, Traci Curtis. It was a very close contest from end-to-end in both the first and second quarters as the score stayed locked at 0-0. "It was amazing to watch our players apply everything we had worked on at practice the night before. We were so impressed and proud of how they were showing up and competing. We had opportunities in the offensive circle, but struggled connecting and getting good shots off. We knew we had to work even harder in the moment."  Unfortunately, the Rams went up 1-0 a few minutes into the third quarter after a stroke was called against the Falcons. "Our defenders leave their hearts on the field and in this situation, one of our backs was doing her job beautifully, literally backing up the goalie, when what we thought was a clean defensive save turned into a stroke for a foot call on the line." Those moments are tough to take and bounce back from, but our girls did an amazing job of taking it in stride and just working harder each minute following," said Curtis. Pennsbury held Pennridge scoreless the rest of the quarter and continued to wow the coaches with incredible passing combinations and united effort across the entire field. "We were connecting on give and gos better than we ever have and really succeeding in so many ways including earning a penalty corner as the clock expired at end of the quarter. You get to play the corner out and we did not convert. It was a missed opportunity for sure. We just can't seem to put together a complete game for 60 minutes that allows us to come out on top. In this league, there is not much room for error or missing key chances to possess the ball. "Going into the third quarter down 1-0 was a victory for us and something that we need to continue to build upon."  Pennridge turned up the heat in the fourth quarter adding another goal a couple of minutes in, giving the Rams a 2-0 lead. There was plenty of time and the Falcons were not giving up, but sometimes the best laid plans don't work out. Pennridge iced their victory cake with a third goal with 4 minutes left in the game and that's the score that remains in the books, 3-0.  "We are walking away with our heads held high, counting our progress since August as a success" said Curtis. Our RAISE THE BAR theme is our guiding light and all we can do it keep raising and reaching." Shout out to the Rylie Borgman, Gabby Darling, Ryan Burdette, and goalie, Kayla Shaffer, for stand out performances. The Falcons will host Souderton on Friday afternoon at Falcon Field Stadium. 

September 18, 2023
Pennsbury 0, North Penn 8

Don't let the score fool you, as the numbers never tell the whole story. For the Pennsbury Falcons, there was success in the details, winning in many moments, and a discovery of confidence that may just be the gift that keeps on giving. And ironic as it may seem to those looking on the surface and seeing only the score, the Falcons' senior goalie, Kayla Shaffer, had her best game yet and was the recipient of the team's game day RAISE THE BAR honor. North Penn is always a force to be reckoned with - they are so fast, smart, and skilled all over the field. They play hard and are lethal individually and as a unit. Pennsbury knew what they were up against and they proved they were ready to battle. Our starting eleven chosen for this game took the field focused and prepared and put together a first quarter like no other. Head coach, Traci Curtis, describes the fifteen minutes with a smile. "Our girls took charge, played smart, passed beautifully, and were patient on defense. We actually scored the first goal of the game, but had it called back for an apparent foul that occurred as the ball was crossing the line. Despite the call back, we were ecstatic with how our girls were showing up and proving their worth. North Penn was without a doubt caught off guard that first quarter and that was a winning moment for us. Our goalie, Kayla Shaffer, was protecting her cage confidently and took her agility to the next level with first and second shot saves. They were shooting from all different heights and angles and Kayla handled it wonderfully." The game was 0-0 going into the second quarter and the orange and black could not have been more proud. Things changed a bit in the next fifteen minutes as North Penn did what any great team would do - they made significant adjustments to their play and took over. North Penn went up 1-0 after converting on a penalty stroke called during a play inside the circle. "We were still playing well and working hard, but we let down in some key areas that we had talked about pre-game. We started to chase them instead of holding the space and being patient, we didn't take away lanes, and we began to panic," explains Curtis. We let them rattle us and forgot about that opening quarter. "It's all part of the learning process though and despite the handful of goals the Knights put up in the second, our girls kept fighting." Three of our defenders had defensive saves - Kaylin Flannery, Allison Pakula, and Gabby Darling who saved a high arching shot that was sailing over the head of the goalie. "You can't ask for any more heart than that - our defenders were literally diving and throwing themselves around to help inside the circle. It was great to watch." Mia Popovich also left her heart on the field using her speed and skills to make things happen endline to endline and Gabby Darling was extremely strong on defense with some great bursts up the middle to give the Facons some spark. The Knights went on to score a few more in the third quarter and a final tally in the fourth making it an 8-0 loss for Pennsbury. "The book keeper recorded 32 shots on our goalie with her saving 21 of them. It was a really good moment for her personally and we are so happy that she had such an awesome game," said Curtis. Curtis thinks back 1 year ago -  "There is something familiar in these words as I look back at last year's North Penn game summary. My quotes are pretty similar and the description of where we are as a team is on the same track. We are making progress, still rearranging ingredients to find the best recipe, and finding our way as a whole. We rotated 22 girls through the lineup today giving opportunities and trying some new things - like scientists in a lab, the experimenting never ends and each game requires something different. I have an incredible coaching staff in Lori Riley, Lauren Gerth, and Michelle Siegle - we will not stop working to bring out the best in our players. We can all walk away today with so many positives in our pockets and look forward to what is to come." Pennsbury will travel to Pennridge on Wednesday night and then host Souderton on Friday.   

September 14, 2023
Pennsbury 1, CR North 3

It was a beautiful afternoon for a field hockey game at Falcon Field Stadium. This was the third game in a row for Pennsbury, yet they came out energized from the excitement of their opening day on the new turf 24 hours earlier. The Falcons took charge and put a lot of early pressure on the visiting North team, but it was Rock who notched the first goal halfway through the first quarter. "We got caught ball watching and they snuck it by our goalie. Those situations will definitely be part of our practice plan tomorrow," said Coach Curtis. All we can do is recognize the moment and work to be better next time. Council Rock made it 2-0 four minutes later with a scramble in front of the cage. "CR did a better job of getting their sticks in there and changing the direction of the ball inside the circle. Those first two goals were just heads up, sticks down touches that allowed them to finish." "This was one of those frustrating games where the girls played extremely well, dominated for a large percentage, had great passing connections, but the perfect storm of not being able to finish in the circle and a few missed marks resulted in the loss, Curtis explained. The second quarter was a tight, scoreless battle and North's 2-0 lead carried into halftime. "We were so proud of our girls for not letting down or giving up because of the score. They fought hard the entire way and were really creating great opportunities using the width of the field. It paid off at the very end of the  third quarter when we finally connected and made it a 2-1 game."  Senior, Mia Popovich, gained control of the ball in the circle and tapped it to Freshman, Abby Iacona, who used a reverse stick pass to dump it toward goal and connected with Junior, Angelina Kenney. Kenney tapped it right by the goalie and got us on the board.  "Mia Popovich and Abby Iacona are a dynamic duo who really set everyone up for success. It's fun to watch them play and use strong, smart skills throughout the game." Council Rock did not let down either and added a third goal to their book halfway through the fourth quarter. Despite out shooting, having more corners, and out possessing North, Pennsbury fell 3-1 in the end. "North was able to capitalize early and that made it tough for us. Jules is doing an amazing job with that program and although we walked away with a loss, we are all still sharing a common vision and it is great to see them grow right alongside us each year," said Curtis. "It's great to have tough, close, competitive games like that." I know a handful of the girls on her team and they are great kids who I love to watch play. We will meet again the last game of the regular season and it will be another spirited battle for sure." Shout out to the following players for their performance today - Ryan Burdette, Avalee Shumski, Riley Henderson, and Rylie Borgman.  Pennsbury is set to host North Penn on Monday.    

September 13, 2023
Pennsbury 10, Truman 0

It was an historic day for the Pennsbury High School field hockey team when they took the field against the Truman Tigers at 3:00PM. The contest marked the first ever game played on the recently finished turf in the newly renovated Falcon Field Stadium.
"Today was about so much more than the sport or this game,” coach Traci Curtis said. “It was about having this moment for our players and embracing the excitement we all feel surrounding this brand new space on our campus.
"We have all been waiting for such a long time to have an updated facility and a place we can proudly call home. To be the first team to use it for a game meant a lot to us - it may seem like something so simple, but it was a big deal and not something we are taking for granted. We understand the privilege it is to play a sport and have this facility to use, and we will honor that along the way. I was glad to share the moment with our entire field hockey family and with outstanding coaches - Lori Riley, Lauren Gerth, and Michelle Siegle."
The Falcons iced the cake and won 10-0, scoring in every quarter and distributing the work amongst both varsity and JV players.
"We had never stepped foot on this turf, so the girls had to acclimate to the new surface in real time during the game," Curtis explains. “We have another game tomorrow, so this was a great opportunity to settle in and get comfortable with our new home."
The goal scoring was shared across the board with great passing combinations and purposeful assists. Senior Rylie Borgman had a hat trick and freshman Abby Iacona set the table and spoon fed her teammates almost every time there was an offensive push, helping them to be successful in the circle.
“It was a complete effort from everyone and an afternoon we will never forget,” Curtis said. “Our season theme is RAISE THE BAR, and I think we achieved that today both on and off the field.
“I have to give kudos to the Truman coach Alexa Doyle. She leads with her heart and is working so hard with her team. Not only did her girls never give up, they were extremely respectful and had great sportsmanship - it was nice to be able to share the moment with such a great group of athletes. Cheers to all of the students at Pennsbury who will be competing, performing, graduating, and collecting treasured memories in the new stadium for many years to come.
Pennsbury (3-2, 2-2 SOL) is set to host Council Rock North on Thursday at 3:00PM for their first meeting of the season. Harry S Truman (0-5, 0-3) will host Council Rock South Thursday.

September 12, 2023
CR South 2, Pennsbury 1

It was a tight battle from start to finish as the Falcons traveled to Council Rock South for their first meeting of the season. Falling 2-1 was disappointing, but it is the closest score the Falcons have achieved against the Golden Hawks since Traci Curtis took over five years ago. "We were so close and playing really well. The opportunity to win was palpable, but we just could not make it happen. We are so proud of our entire squad and the effort they gave for sixty minutes. It was a really great game on both sides of the ball. It came down to the fact that South was able to connect on one more offensive push than us,"  explains Curtis. The Golden Hawks notched a goal in the first quarter with 7 minutes left giving them the 1-0 lead. "South definitely dominated at the start, keeping it in our defensive end for most of that first 15 minutes. It took us a little bit of time to adjust to the turf and the tempo," said Curtis. The second quarter was a little more back-and-forth, but CR South connected again with 4 minutes before the half. "What we are most proud of is the fact that being down 2-0 didn't seem to take the wind out of our sails. The girls were in it and not letting up and it proved to work as Pennsbury made it a 2-1 game with less than a minute left before halftime. "We were getting more offensive pushes and earned a penalty corner as the clock was ticking down under a minute. Our assistant coach, Lori Riley, chose the hitter and she was spot on. Freshman defender, Cailyn Reilly, came up to take the shot and she nailed a picture perfect goal past the goal keeper. It was executed beautifully and was a great moment for her, said Curtis. Reilly has made great contributions on defense and it's so beneficial to have her talents on offensive corners as well. The Falcons were pumped going into halftime being in a 2-1 tight match against a team they have historically been shut out by in lopsided losses. The Golden Hawks and the Falcons could not change the numbers on the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Both teams played tough defense and also could not finish in the circle in the last two quarters - it was an even match up out on the pitch. "We were frustrated a bit as we were working frantically to get fresh legs out there and utilize our speed in specific places. We earned corners and could not convert, said Curtis. It is a constant work in progress and we are improving with every step we take. We have great leadership in our captains and our team is full of athletes willing to do the necessary work. Today, captain Riley Henderson stepped up and took control. She played an awesome game and was a solid director on the field and it really helped in so many ways. Other stand out performances included, Juniors Avalee Shumski and Ava Jordan, Senior, Mia Popovich, and Freshmen, Abby Iacona and Ryan Burdette. Senior goalie, Kayla Shaffer was also impressive as she rebounded from the two goals that got by her and made sure to get more aggressive and decisive in the second half. She held them scoreless and that's a victory for her personally and for all of us. Pennsbury will host Truman on the 13th and Council Rock North on the 14th - both games will be played on Pennsbury's new Falcon Field turf in the stadium. 

September 8, 2023
Bensalem 0, Pennsbury 3

It had been nine days since the Pennsbury field hockey team faced an opponent. The post Labor Day heat wave that scorched our county forced the Falcons indoors searching for creative ways to prepare for the next game. "Coming off of our loss to Neshaminy, we were working really hard to focus on specifics and fine-tune some pieces of our game, explains Head Coach, Traci Curtis. "We were getting into a groove and then the thermometer exploded and we had to adjust." Sometimes the best laid plans don't work out and this was a great lesson in being able to pivot and more importantly, take advantage of what's in front of you." Curtis continues, "Being forced to work indoors in a smaller space is so beneficial in addition to taking time to address the mental side of our game. Our coaching staff got really creative this week. The girls were so ready to play today and release the pent up energy. The Falcons did not waste any time scoring as Senior, Chelsea Todd, assisted Senior, Lily Abraham, at the 12 minute mark of the first quarter. Abraham connected beautifully to finish the play that Todd started and that goal would end up being the only goal of the first half.  The Bensalem Owls played tough defense throughout the game, especially in the 2nd and 4th quarters where they held the Falcons scoreless. "We were not satisfied with our ability to finish in the circle and did not feel safe with only a 1-0 lead at halftime, Curtis explains. Bensalem is a gritty team and they never let down. They can be sneaky and strong at just the right times so we knew we had to step it up and expect more from each other. "Six minutes into the third quarter Freshman, Ryan Burdette, gave the Falcons a 2 goal cushion off of a pass from Junior, Riley Askey. "After an incredible passing sequence up the field, Askey made a selfless pass at the perfect moment to hit Burdette and Burdette moved the goalie and connected with strength. It was awesome to see practiced skills come to life in the game like that, Curtis says with excitement. Chelsea Todd gave Pennsbury a three goal lead on a nice shot with 1:30 left in the third. The goalie got a piece of it, but Todd hit it hard enough to make it count. That would prove to be the final goal of the game as Bensalem's defense held Pennsbury to the end. "We had some real shining moments and other moments that proved we still have more work to do," said Curtis. We are happy with the win, but hungry for more. Pennsbury will take that hunger with them as they travel to Council Rock South on Tuesday. 

August 30, 2023
Pennsbury 0, Neshaminy 6

The rainy morning gave way to just enough sunshine to dry out the grassy pitch at Pennsbury HS as the Falcons opened up at home against top-ranked Neshaminy. Pennsbury allowed history to repeat itself, once again, as Neshaminy knocked some wind out of their sails and sent PHS back to the drawing board with a 6-0 loss. "As coaches we just have to put one foot in front of the other and get really creative and more purposeful in deciding how to take the next step", explains head coach, Traci Curtis. In this league just when you think you've worked really hard and prepared well, you learn that there is so much more that needs to be done. Our starting point is just not at the same level as Neshaminy's and we have to do better and figure out how to close that gap before August. The Skins came out and scored in the first two minutes with a cross and a tip that the Falcon's goalie misread. "It was an unlucky moment and something we have to learn to bounce back from right away", said Curtis. Curtis added, "Giving a team like Neshaminy a gift like that so early on is never a good way to start because they will definitely pounce on that vulnerability and use it."  The red and blue notched a goal off of a corner shot with three minutes left in the first quarter giving them a 2-0 lead as the first buzzer sounded. Neshaminy's Kasey Rieger added two more goals in the second quarter off of penalty corners giving the Skins a 4-0 lead into halftime. Pennsbury's coaching staff was working the line up like they were trying to solve a Rubix Cube. "We were addressing fatigue issues, and using fresh legs off the bench, while simultaneously hoping to play to our strength of speed. Our combinations were changing rapidly and unfortunately we just couldn't find the sweet spot today", Curtis said. The Falcons came out in the second half with a little more fight. Sophomore goalie and JV captain, Abby McCole, stepped into the cage and did an amazing job for the final two quarters. Pennsbury held the Skins to one goal in the third quarter with three minutes left and one goal in the fourth quarter with two minutes left making the final score 6-0. "Neshaminy is a strong, fast team and they don't let down or wait for anything for the entire 60 minutes. The only thing we can do is learn from them and understand the immense work we have to do moving forward. Being "good" doesn't cut it in this league - our only choice is to get better." Curtis made sure to add, "There were some key players today who did step up and work really hard to make a difference. Freshman, Abby Iacona, came in and did all the right things in the center of the field, Junior, Avalee Shumski, was a beast on defense along with freshman defender, Cailyn Reilly and freshman, Ryan Burdette and Senior, Mia Popovich, used their speed and smarts to create opportunities offensively. Curtis laughed, "We are like scientists in a lab looking for the perfect formula. We will get there - we just need a little more time."  Pennsbury will travel to Truman on Tuesday and then face Bensalem on Thursday next week. 

August 28, 2023
Conwell 0, Pennsbury 5

The 2023 Pennsbury Field Hockey team opened their regular season with a battle of the birds. The Falcons tallied a strong win over the Conwell-Egan Catholic Eagles, setting the tone as they head straight into their challenging game schedule. Head Coach, Traci Curtis, and the entire coaching staff (Lori Riley, Lauren Gerth, Michele Siegel) made sure that Pennsbury's preparation was laser focused since they united on August 14th including facing tough competition in both scrimmages leading up to today's victory. We purposefully set them up against high level teams during pre season so they can be forced to dig deep early on, explains Curtis. Our theme this season is RAISE THE BAR and the girls have been applying that mentality along the way and certainly stayed true to the mantra during today's game. Freshman, Ryan Burdette, and Senior, Mia Popovich, connected in the first quarter for the Falcons' first goal. Although Pennsbury had many opportunities, that goal stood alone as the only number on the scoreboard until the third quarter. Conwell's goalie did a great job in the cage denying some shots, but we were not doing a great job of moving the ball around her to finish. After collecting ourselves and talking through some strategies at halftime, we came out in the third quarter with an improved performance, said Curtis. Two minutes into the third, Pennsbury's Popovich sent the ball across the circle for a tip-in goal by Junior, Olivia Coen making the score 2-0. Later in the quarter, Popovich stuck again with a scrappy unassisted goal. The Falcons kept knocking on the Eagle's door with 46 seconds left in the third, Junior, Sam Nesteruk crossed the ball for a beautifully tipped goal by Junior, Ava Jordan. Freshman, Cailyn Reilly added the final goal of the game in the fourth quarter with a strong unassisted penalty corner shot making it a 5-0 game. The coaches were really pleased with the passing game and improvement in possessing the ball and smart decision making, says Curtis with some hesitation - there is still a lot of work to be done.  Junior, Angelina Kenney, and Senior Captains, Riley Henderson and Gabby Darling each put in strong performances for the Falcons as well. RAISE THE BAR means we can never be satisfied and we must constantly be expecting more, doing more, and wanting more.  We are excited to put in the work as a field hockey family to see what we are capable of achieving. Pennsbury will host Neshaminy on Wednesday for their first league game.