Butler scores in OT as CB South beats Whitemarsh 4-3 to reach PIAA-3A
The Titans erased a two-goal deficit late in regulation, securing a berth in the state tournament that begins Tuesday.
By James Mitchell ·
Jenna Butler scored the winning goal in overtime on Thursday night, leading Central Bucks South to a 4-3 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh. The win secures seventh place in District 1-3A and a spot in the PIAA-3A state tournament. Central Bucks South will host Northeast High School from District 12 this Saturday for a place in the state field.
Both programs entered the seventh-place game seeking to end long droughts. The Titans had not reached the state tournament since 2017, while the Colonials had not appeared since 2019. The outcome hinged on the fourth quarter, where Central Bucks South erased a 3-1 deficit to force extra time.
Plymouth Whitemarsh took an early lead when Kayleigh Boland finished a shot from Gracie Kerns less than five minutes into the first quarter. The score remained 1-0 through the first and second quarters. Emily Aldrich tied the game at 13:50 of the second half, but Plymouth Whitemarsh regained the lead less than two minutes later.
Julz Scherzer scored on a penalty corner to put the Colonials ahead 2-1. Boland added her second goal at 7:15 of the third quarter to extend the lead to 3-1. That margin held until the final 7:15 of the third quarter and the first 5:33 of the fourth. Aldrich scored her second goal with 9:27 remaining in regulation. Amy Hazell tied the game at 7:49, setting up the overtime period.
Coach Stephanie Bardell noted that her team performs best under pressure. “They like to have their backs pushed up against the wall for sure,” Bardell said. “That’s when we play our best hockey. We know we can dominate when we need to.”
In overtime, Central Bucks South controlled possession. The team recorded two shots on goal before the decisive play. On their third corner, the players indicated they had a specific play in mind. Bardell authorized the strategy, and Butler received the insert pass.
Butler carried the ball to the center of the circle and placed the shot inside the right post. “I had a feeling that if we took it right we had a chance,” Butler said. “We did and I just kept my head down. I kept dribbling and then took the shot and it was there, in the bottom corner.”
Butler said the team played for its senior class. “We knew we had to (win this game) for our seniors,” she said. “We were all playing for them so they could have another game. We want to play at our home field one more time with them and wear our black uniforms.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh finished the season with a 16-7 record. The Colonials shared the Suburban One League Liberty Division championship and advanced to the second round of the district playoffs. Coach Charise Halteman acknowledged that fundamental errors and second-guessing contributed to the loss.
“Our fundamental skills weren’t as sharp tonight,” Halteman said. “I do think sometimes we got into our own heads and started second guessing our decisions. That spiraled a little bit.”
