ESPY – The disappointment of losing in the District 11 championship game may have been a motivational factor for the Palmerton field hockey players entering the PIAA Class 1A playoffs.

Blue Bomber head coach Megan Leadbetter suggested to her three seniors there was only one way to go after the gold medal defeat to Northwestern - Up!

Palmerton’s players took their coach’s words to heart with an impressive 3-0 victory Tuesday over Central Columbia in the opening round of the state tournament.

“I was telling them, coming off a district championship loss late in the season, that all their friends on other teams aren’t playing. That should give them motivation, and whatever happens, happens,” Leadbetter said.

The results showed.

Scoring a pair of first-half goals, and then adding an insurance tally late in the fourth quarter, propelled the Blue Bombers into a quarterfinal match against West Perry. It also gave Palmerton its first-ever state playoff shutout win.

“I give the credit to my three seniors - Skylar Kohler, Syndey Frantz and Celeste Hoffman,” Leadbetter said, praising their leadership. “I told them gather your team and make them follow your stride.”

That was evident with the two early goals.

Late-arriving fans who were still making their way to the bleachers found out Palmerton had jumped in front 1-0 when Tessa Sander unloaded with a shot into the cage just over five minutes into the first quarter.

Nearly two minutes later, Mikayla Pengelly rang up a second goal to push the lead to 2-0.

The early getaway was a confidence booster, and seemed to buckle the hosts as the Blue Jays were struggling to get their offense on track.

The Blue Bombers were not making it easy on their opponent as they aggressively took charge, buzzing up and down the field in relentless fashion.

“What I told (the team) at halftime is, ‘They (Central Columbia) are mad, and this isn’t something they’re comfortable with or used to,’” Leadbetter said. “They don’t (like) to lose; they’re a phenomenal field hockey team.”

The District 4 champions were visibly out of sync, and Leadbetter knew that the second half was going to have a different tempo.

“I told our players to be ready, they’re an incredible bunch of athletes. They’re well-coached, and they’re going to come out with fire in their eyes,” said Leadbetter. “You can’t be cocky, but you’ve got to (play) with confidence.”

The Bombers, who weren’t intimidated, were ready for the test.

They rallied around Frantz, who kept forging pressure on the attack of the Blue Jays. Central Columbia got its offensive engine in gear, recording nine shots on goal in the second half.

“Frantz is a very passionate player,” Leadbetter said. “She’s the one that gets scouted the most … she’s the one that gets defended the most. In her mind, it’s get that ball.”

The untold story belonged to Palmerton’s sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Sabo, who did a superb job in the cage turning away nine second-half shots.

“She’s got natural talent, you saw it in her footwork,” said Leadbetter. “She’s never played the position before we put her in pads, and she doesn’t (even) have a backup.”

There was 10:32 to play in the fourth when Frantz added the backbreaker, killing any hopes of a comeback bid by Central.

“This is a great win for the team. I love the way they responded (after the district loss). Now it’s time to get another,” said Leadbetter.

COUNTING THEM UP … Palmerton had four first-half shots, only one in the second quarter. Central managed just two first-half shots, one in each quarter. Central turned it around in the third and fourth quarters for a combined nine shots.

FUN, FUN, FUN … “Sarah is like the class clown, she has so much fun doing what she does. I love her attitude. If she plays like that, I’ll take it anytime,” Leadbetter said about goalie Sabo.

BIG-TIME SCOREBOARD … Central’s facility is second to none. It has a massive scoreboard with play-by-play being videoed. The faces of each player are also depicted before the game. It was purchased with grant money, as the school has a journalism class and that’s how the funds came about.