Pennsbury High School Field Hockey

August 27, 2025
PENNSBURY 24, HARRY S TRUMAN 0

The Pennsbury Falcons hit the ground running from day one of preseason on August 11th and have never looked back. With clear eyes  pointing straight ahead, PHS came into game one ready to set the tone for the season. The Falcons came away with a decisive 24–0 victory in their home opener, bringing their theme, "THE TIME IS NOW - No One Waits" to life. The stat sheet was filled with tallies of shots, assists, and goals scored. The final score does not fully capture the spirit of the game, which was one of respect, encouragement, and a shared love of field hockey. 

 

While the scoreline was lopsided, the game was played with mutual respect and sportsmanship from both sides. The players from each team competed with effort, focus, and determination, and the game was marked by positive energy throughout. PHS coach, Traci Curtis, shared her thoughts regarding the respect she has for the athletes on the Truman team. "I have always been in awe of the resilience and determination of the Truman FH team. Talk about never giving up - those girls fight over and over and continue to work through the toughest of games and show up repeatedly all season long. They make progress along the way and it's really great to watch." 

Credit is due to Truman for their persistence, resilience, and attitude in a very challenging situation.

 

Curtis continues, "Their goalie had some great saves and one of their backs had a bunch of really strong defensive stops." 

 

For the orange and black, it was an opportunity to execute their fundamentals, share the ball, and provide valuable game experience across the roster. Curtis and her coaching staff were really proud of their team's navigation of the game as a whole and the purposeful work on passing, off ball movement, and penalty corners. Despite the strong victory, the plan will be to continue to fine tune and sharpen skills in preparation for the what is next. "There are always ways to get better and improve our game. It's so early and there is tons of work to be done," explains Curtis. 

 

The best part of the afternoon was when both teams came together to enjoy a treat from the ice cream truck in a simple celebration of the start to the 2025 field hockey season! 

 

Pennsbury is set to host Bensalem at Falcon Field on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd. 

 

Stat Breakdown:

Abby Anderer - 1 assist

Mallory Harrison - 6 goals

Joley Hohman - 1 goal

Abby Iacona - 5 goals, 1 assist

Ava Pinto - 2 goals, 1 assist

Cailyn Reilly - 1 goal

Regan Rodriguez - 2 goals, 1 assist

Leila Curtis - 4 goals, 4 assists

Lily Fanini - 2 goals, 4 assists

Allie Fouss - 1 goal, 1 assist

 

 

September 2, 2025
PENNSBURY 5, BENSALEM 0

 

 

It was a great way to kick off September at Falcon Field for Pennsbury's second game of the season. Coming off of a huge win against Truman, the orange and black were ready to face the Bensalem Owls, another Patriot division opponent. Using their "THE TIME IS NOW - No One Waits" mantra, Pennsbury set the tone right away by earning a penalty corner in the first four minutes. PHS did not convert on the corner opportunity, but did connect from the field two minutes later when Ryan Burdette took a shot on goal and Regan Rodriguez cleaned up the rebound and found the back of the cage. The Falcons went up 2-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter when Abby Iacona scored with an assist by Rodriguez. Pennsbury held the two goal lead through the second quarter, but could not get another one by Bensalem's brick wall of a keeper, Hailey Fricke, for the full 15 minutes. It was not for lack of trying or having opportunities - Fricke is a beast in the cage.
"Our forwards were pounding shots at the goalie and she just kept making saves. She came out to meet the ball, was agile and aggressive, and made our girls work really hard to add to the scoreboard," explained Pennsbury head coach, Traci Curtis.
A little more than halfway through the third quarter sophomore, Allie Fouss subbed in for the left forward and scored right away on a great pass from Iacona from the right. "Fouss literally ran onto the field straight to where she needed to be and put one past the keeper perfectly. Before the game I had actually practiced the execution of scoring on the left with Fouss and she applied it immediately, Curtis said. "That's what we love about these girls - they are sponges and so dedicated to being great. They work hard for the greater good."
The Falcons didn't let up and had momentum going into the fourth. Seven minutes in, Iacona shot a bullet at Fricke and sophomore, Lily Fanini grabbed the rebound and snuck it past the keeper making it a 4-0 game. Iacona iced the cake two minutes later with an assist from Ava Pinto to put PHS up 5-0. That scored held until the final buzzer.
"Pinto and Rodriguez are a great combo who communicate so well and work the right side of our field with strength and poise. They make a lot happen," said Curtis.
"Abby Iacona is an all around play maker - distributing, cutting, and putting the ball on cage with a lot of power," said Curtis of the stand out junior.
"Our defense is a solid unit who works well together. They took a risk and pushed up playing very offensively today and that is a style we will use throughout the season when we are able to apply it," Curtis explained.
"I have to give so much credit to the Bensalem goalie who was really fun to watch. We tallied 35 shots on goal and she saved 30 of them with strength and determination," said Curtis. "She forced us to get creative and continuously adjust the entire game."
Curtis adds, "Early season games are exciting as we meet up with each team and gain a better understanding of ourselves as a unit. We are still experimenting and discovering our chemistry. We love having unending strong combinations to use. We are moving forward one step at at time - moment by moment."
The Falcons will travel to Neshaminy on Thursday for an afternoon battle against the Skins.

 

 

September 4, 2025
Neshaminy 2, Pennsbury 1

 

The game is sixty minutes long, but the outcome was decided within a five minute span in the third quarter. Five minutes. Head coach, Traci Curtis, didn't hesitate to say, "This is the most prepared we have ever been for this battle in the seven years I've led the program. There has been an extreme positive shift in the talent, mindset, and the approach to this game over time. The Neshaminy - Pennsbury game is a fierce rivalry with the Skins dominating that seven year win record (PHS has yet to pull out a win under Curtis), but Curtis explains, "Today was the best performance we've had against them without a doubt, making them work for everything they got - it wasn't easy on either side." The first two quarters were scoreless with a back and forth fight - exchanging possession and offensive pushes throughout. The game was tied 0-0 going into the half and the atmosphere was electric. Emotions were leveling up as the two high powered teams clashed from end to end. The needle on the record scratched three minutes into the third quarter when Mia Brooks used a reverse touch to put one past the PHS goalie, Abby McCole. The 1-0 lead did not last long as the orange and black came back with force three minutes later catapulting the crowd to the edge of their seats. Abby Iacona scored the equalizer on a rip from the top of the circle into the far corner after the backs and mids worked the ball into the PHS attacking end. In perfect rivalry fashion, barely sixty seconds later, Neshaminy bit back on a Mia Brooks deflection to go ahead 2-1. "Our defense was working hard and doing the right things, relentlessly denying so many opportunities, but Neshaminy got their stick in there one more time than we did," explains Curtis. "Our goalie, McCole, played an awesome game - poised, confident, and focused with ten key saves. Stand out defense was played by Payton Worth at the left back position. Payton had some stellar stops defensively. She halted breakaways, stayed in plays, and really slowed down their progression on the right side of the field," said Curtis. "It was exciting to play this game early in the season and truly helps to set the tone for us moving forward. We will take so much momentum from this and use it for good." Pennsbury is set to meet up with Council Rock North on Monday for a night game at Falcon field. 

 

 

September 8, 2025
Pennsbury 6, Council Rock North 0

 

 

It was Monday night lights at Falcon Field as the Pennsbury Falcons hosted Council Rock North to kick off the week. The PHS JV team set the tone with a 1-0 win in the opening game. With a shortened warm up to hit the 7pm varsity start, the orange and black were chomping at the bit to get out there and play. The first quarter was back and forth with the Falcons and CRN each earning attacking penalty corners and putting the ball on cage. "We were really pleased with the way our girls were playing - patient, poised, and confident," said coach Traci Curtis. "They were passing and connecting, but we knew we needed to step it up and continue to adjust. The North goalie was cutting off our angles and we had to start moving around her and be smarter in the circle," Curtis added. The score was 0-0 going into the second quarter and Pennsbury knew it was going to be a battle to the very end. It is never a choice to get complacent against CRN - they have a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. The second quarter opened up with Pennsbury continuing to get into the red zone and step up the pressure. Around the ten minute mark, Rock's goalie had an amazing save with her glove that resulted in a corner for PHS. After the insert it was an all junior combo as  Joley Hohman put the ball to stroke where Ava Pinto got her stick on it and deflected it around the goalie and Nandi Ntshalintshali hit the back of the cage with force to put the Falcons up 1-0. Despite the attacking power of Pennsbury, North kept it a 1-0 game going into halftime. CR North's goalie was not making it easy to finish and the Falcons could feel CRN breathing down their necks. "A 1-0 game going into the third quarter against North is unsettling in so many ways. They are tough and are really good at smelling a team's let down and capitalizing on it. We were making sure our girls understood the work that needed to be done to not slow down and allow them to get a goal and tie it up," explains Curtis. But the third quarter was scoreless as well and now that lone goal hung on the scoreboard heading into the final fifteen minutes - the digital numbers seemed to be mocking PHS and illuminating the pressure of stepping up the performance another notch in this contest. Ava Pinto stared that pressure in the face and sent a ball into the circle three minutes into the fourth where Regan Rodriguez got a touch on it and Abby Iacona, ready and waiting, collected a rebound off of the goalie's pads and shot it with force, upping the lead to two. "I believe there was a collective exhale by us coaches because we felt like we had a second to breathe, but just for a second," said Curtis. And breathe they did because the Falcons continued to score almost every three minutes for the remainder of the game. The third goal started with a great backfield transfer and junior, Ryan Burdette, dodging through the midfield to hit Iacona up front. Iacona dodged the goalie and reversed it past her to put the orange and black up 3-0 with ten minutes left to play. Pennsbury widened the gap to 4-0 with eight minutes left on a well executed penalty corner play by Nandi Ntshalintshali, sophomore, Leila Curtis, and junior, Ava Pinto tallying the goal. Junior Cailyn Reilly set up a beautiful end-to-end goal for Pennsbury when she took the free hit from the backfield connecting with Ryan Burdette, who fed the ball to Iacona in the middle. Iacona made the final dump pass to Harrison who was waiting patiently on the post to deflect it in - the perfect selfless, teamwork progression. The Falcons covered 100 yards in seconds and led 5-0 with a few minutes left in the game. Ryan Burdette added one more unassisted goal to finish off the scoring and end the game 6-0. "We are beyond proud of our girls for coming out and executing like that, completely as a team, leaving no questions and taking care of business on a Monday night," said Curtis. "Our goalie, Abby McCole earned the shut out with the help of an awesome defensive save by Joley Hohman right on the goal line. That level of effort is what every girl gave us tonight and for that we are extremely grateful and proud," said Curtis with a smile. "Yesterday we all met at the Princeton - UNC field hockey game at Princeton to watch an incredible high level college game and we believe a lot was learned and taken away from that afternoon," explains Curtis. "Our girls observed, listened, and applied all of the things we talked about that we saw those collegiate players doing so well - not only was a it a great day out as a field hockey family, it was beneficial to our game today without a doubt. The hard work is paying off, the attention to detail matters, and the connection we are building in our game is giving us confidence and momentum." Curtis adds, "We are taking one step at a time and learning and growing together along the way." Pennsbury will travel to face Council Rock South on Wednesday for a mid-week match up. 

 

September 10, 2025
Pennsbury 3, Council Rock South 2

 

The Pennsbury Falcons took to the highway to face Council Rock South for a midweek match up. Coming off of a big win at home against CR North, the Falcons were anxious to get back to work and keep the momentum going. "This was the most "blind" we have ever gone into a game against South. We really had no idea what kind of roster they had or any details about their style of play," said head coach, Traci Curtis. "All we knew was that they had two new incredible coaches who would certainly bring out the best in their group." Blind or not, PHS did not wait to attack, scoring their first goal one minute after the starting whistle. "Nandi Ntshalintshali took a quick free hit, putting it out wide to Regan Rodriguez who carried and distributed to Abby Iacona on the right. Iacona dodged with such control and confidence and carried it baseline then dumped it to stroke where Rodriguez had cut awaiting the pass. Rodriguez connected for a perfectly executed offensive series," said Curtis. The score was 1-0 before anyone could blink.  Four minutes later everyone did blink and the score was tied up 1-1. CR South came down the right side with strength, hypnotized one of the PHS defenders and scored on a simple cross pass to the post and deflect it right in. It was pretty much a carbon copy of the Pennsbury goal and proved that this was going to be one tough battle. The Falcons struck again with 50 seconds left in the first quarter when Leila Curtis fed the ball into the circle from the left to Ryan Burdette who got a tip around the goalie with just enough deflection for Regan Rodriguez to pick it and dump it with a reverse tap. "It was a 2-1 game going into the second quarter, but we knew it was going to be a tough climb for sixty minutes against this team," explained Curtis. "We loved the way our girls were playing and dominating possession, but there were moments of breakdown for sure and something we need to continue to work on." The second quarter was scoreless but the Falcons had possession in their offensive end for most of the fifteen minutes. "We had many opportunities to add another goal in the second quarter putting a handful of shots on goal, but just did not finish in the circle. We loved the patience and possession our girls were using throughout, but there was an urgency to get more than a one goal lead," said Curtis. "Kudos to to Cailyn Reilly in the backfield for making a very smart decision at the end of the quarter to ice the ball in the corner and allow the clock to run down. It's moments like that when we feel the power across the board on our team - every single person is doing their job and doing it really well." The third quarter was a more back and forth battle with South not letting up at all. The orange and black stretched the lead to 3-1 with two minutes left in the third on a break away run by Burdette feeding Iacona a pass in front of the goal for another great teamwork finish. "The way Iacona and Burdette operate in the middle is so much fun to watch. Their IQ, speed, skill, and decision making together is top notch," Curtis said. The fourth quarter got interesting when South connected on a "man up" goal with nine minutes left to play. PHS had a player out with a card and South took advantage of the moment. With only half a quarter left to play, it was a one goal game and you could feel the CRS energy rising. The intensity heated up with another PHS player carded and out and South earning two offensive penalty corners with 2 minutes left in the game. Abby McCole and company put a stop to those opportunities and with a complete team effort, Pennsbury squashed any further attack and walked away with the 3-2 win. "Once again our coaching staff was very proud of the unity and connectedness of our squad at every level. There are so many great things happening out there and we are seeing the girls get creative and really play freely as a unit. We will continue to take one moment at a time and stay laser focused on what we need to do each and every day," explains Curtis. Pennsbury will travel to Abington on Friday to face an opponent they haven't seen in a few years.

 

 

September 12, 2025
Pennsbury 2, Abington 1

It was a long week, but the Pennsbury Falcons got the job done, tallying a three game sweep after beating Abington Friday afternoon. The game was supposed to be played at Pennsbury, but due to unavailability of the turf and doing anything they could to avoid a grass game, the PHS coaches agreed to travel to Abington's Memorial Field so they could compete on the more favored turf surface. The Falcons have not faced the Ghosts in a few years so this non-conference match-up was a guessing game from the start. What was not a guessing game was how daunting a long bus ride on a Friday afternoon can be for a team playing three games in a week. The orange and black came out flat and paid for it when Abington connected four minutes after the starting whistle making it a 1-0 game. PHS has been the first to score in four out of five games to start the season, but now it was time to dust the rust off of the "come from behind" mentality and figure things out.  It took longer than the coaches wanted, but with three minutes left in the first quarter, Pennsbury earned a penalty corner and capitalized on the chance. Abby Iacona took a strong shot from top, Mallory Harrison got a touch on it for redirection, and Regan Rodriguez cleaned it up off pads and sent it past the goalie. It was a great effort by everyone in the corner unit helping to tie it up 1-1. That score held until that first set of 15 minutes expired. With a 1-1 game going into the second, the heat was on for both sides. PHS coach, Traci Curtis, says of the second quarter, "We were not loving the energy level of our girls and the lack of communication and connection. We were one second behind on receiving a lot of passes and couldn't seem to adjust to the timing of the ball on their very fast turf. We sent a lot of balls over sidelines and endlines, missing the pace required for the surface. It was taking us too long to get comfortable and settle into our game." Both teams had a penalty corner opportunities, but no one finished. The score remained 1-1 at the start of the third quarter. Then the Falcons got a spark of hope six minutes into the quarter when they earned another penalty corner. Senior, Abby Anderer inserted to Abby Iacona and Iacona nailed the backboard on a beautifully executed straight shot. "It was one of the best corners we have finished on this season. From the insert to the sound of the ball hitting the backboard it was perfect," said Curtis. The Falcons went ahead 2-1, but it was not time to exhale. In the third quarter Pennsbury had two players get penalized with green cards putting them in a very vulnerable spot for several minutes, but the team held strong and worked together to survive the penalties. The Ghosts earned an attacking corner in the final seconds of the quarter, but the orange and black defense had a huge stop to keep it a 2-1 game at the start of the fourth. Abington was showing no signs of panic. If anything they were fighting harder and smarter and forcing PHS to work for every moment. Pennsbury dominated possession in the fourth, but Iacona's goal in the third quarter proved to be the game winner. With PHS receiving two more cards in the final quarter the intensity level was off the charts. The Ghosts had a penalty corner opportunity at the end of the game, but the Falcon's defense denied it and ended the game pocketing the win. "It took us way too long to play our game today, but we will take the win and focus on the next step. We are proud of how our team handled the card situations and compensated during those "man down" minutes - that's how South scored on us in the game before and we were better on that today," explained Curtis. "It was nice to score off of two attacking corners and it was great to see our defense work hard to save us many times on breakaways and plays coming from the middle that seemed to move in slow motion. Abby McCole earned the win in goal for us and made the stops she needed to in order to keep it in our favor." Pennsbury is now 5-1 and will host CB East on Monday at Falcon Field. 

 

 

September 15, 2025
Pennsbury 2, CB East 1

 

Monday games can be so unpredictable as anxious coaches are left to wonder how their team will show up after the weekend. The PHS field hockey staff had an additional concern as today was the first time their team had a home game directly after school and were forced to navigate the later dismissal time since moving to later school start times. Sounds like no big deal, but it is and made for a super rushed warm up in preparation for facing CB East. The Falcons were entering the game riding the wave of a three game winning streak the week before and were looking to make it four in a row. They did not know what to expect from East this season, but they did know that it is always an extremely tight game with them no matter what. The Pennsbury captains won the toss and chose direction, which gives the ball to East at the start for the first half. The Patriots wasted no time to attack and earned a penalty corner in the first two minutes. The Falcons defense denied the opportunity, but it was a wake up call that it was time to get to work. The entire first quarter was back and forth with both teams missing chances in the circle and some close calls in the defensive ends. The first buzzer rang and the score was locked at 0-0 perfectly reflecting the even match up across the board. The Falcons changed that in the first five minutes of the second quarter. "The events leading up to the first goal began with a transfer from the right to the left side of the field," explains coach, Traci Curtis. "Payton Worth sent the ball out of the transfer for Ryan Burdette to pick up and Burdette did just that and earned a free hit.  She sent the ball to midfielder, Leila Curtis, who continued the progress upfield with a long ball to Abby Iacona. Iacona drew defenders and dumped out wide to Mallory Harrison who reversed it straight into the circle. Iacona made a great cut to meet the ball on pads, got a deflection around the goalie and Regan Rodriguez finished with a tap into the goal on the right side." Curtis emphasizes, "It was a great series of connections, communication, and everyone contributing to the goal by doing their specific job." "Regan Rodriguez has come in clutch for us on the right and is playing consistently strong field hockey. Mallory Harrison does whatever she is asked to do and is super versatile for us in the moment. Leila Curtis gets the job done in the midfield with great distributing and feeding while Worth, Burdette, and Iacona take everything to the next level." The Falcons took the lead 1-0 and were starting to get into a groove, dominating possession in the second quarter with amazing passing combinations up both sidelines. But all it takes is one moment and the game can change. "With 30 seconds left in the second quarter, East got a free hit coming into their attacking circle. They passed the ball back the mandatory five yards and their player shot it right to goal from the outside. A Falcons defender tightly marking her girl (who was looking to tip the ball) got her stick into the play to break it up, but it ended up deflecting into the goal and just like that it was a tie game going into the half," Curtis explains. "This was our game to lose. We were dominating possession and getting chances with attacking penalty corners," Curtis said. "It was obvious that this game was going to come down to one play." The score remained deadlocked 1-1 going into the fourth. And one play it was. On the Falcons' 12th penalty corner of the game, with about 30 seconds left in regulation, Abby Iacona took a reverse stick shot that catapulted off of her stick from just inside the circle and slammed into the far corner of the goal to put them up 2-1. The Patriots didn't mess around, they came down the field with force and almost tied it up again as the game clock ticked down to only seconds remaining, but goalie, Abby McCole and her defense did not allow anything to happen. "East played an incredible game and forced us to stay on our toes from start to finish," complimented Curtis. "It is always a great game when we face each other during the season and today was no different. The teams challenged each other on both sides of the ball and it was really fun to watch." That is four wins in a row for the orange and black taking them to 6-1 overall. They are set to host Upper Dublin on Wednesday at Falcon Field. 

 

 

September 17, 2025
Pennsbury 6, Upper Dublin 0

 

The Falcons hosted Upper Dublin under dark, threatening skies that seemed to cast an aura of mystery across the field. The mystery did not end there. Despite having faced the Cardinals just last season (PHS won 2-1 in OT), Pennsbury knew little about this team and planned to just play the game the way they know how. The turf was wet causing the ball to respond a bit different than usual, but the Falcons adjusted to that and quickly took control of possession in the first quarter. "Our passing was strong as we connected and shared the ball all over the field, but we were getting pulled out of position for some reason and it held us back from succeeding a little," explained head coach, Traci Curtis. It took the orange and black four minutes to find their way onto the scoreboard with a feed into the circle from Abby Iacona and a great clean up off pads, by Ryan Burdette making it a 1-0 game early on. The rest of the quarter was back and forth with neither team cashing in on opportunities in the circle. "It was a frustrating start as we did not capitalize on our possessions and were missing the fire that we typically have," shared Curtis. It was still a 1-0 game at the start of the second quarter, but that did not last long as PHS found their groove and connected on goal number two 5 minutes after the starting whistle. "After a beautiful, patient passing combo, Regan Rodriguez placed a perfect cross pass to Abby Iacona waiting at the stroke. Iacona one timed it past the Cardinal's goalie with precision and strength," said Coach Curtis.  The score was 2-0, but you could feel Pennsbury's temperature rising and wanting more. But they didn't get more until there were 0.4 seconds left in the second quarter. Abby Iacona struck again unassisted off the pads, stretching the lead to 3-0 taking them into halftime.  And then the rains came like cats and dogs, but it did not slow the Falcons who notched another goal four minutes into the soggy third quarter. "Cailyn Reilly sent a beautifully placed aerial upfield, which started the offensive push in the middle then leading out to Rodriguez who fed it to the post where Allie Fouss was waiting with great positioning and deflected it in. The Falcons led 4-0 with a lot of hockey left to play, but that goal stood alone in the third quarter. And the rains kept falling. The final 15 minutes was rainy off and on, but the orange and black were not finished and continued to work together as a solid unit to possess with patience and make great passing decisions. Halfway through the quarter, sophomore, Lily Fanini assisted Ryan Burdette and the Falcons took a five goal lead. Two minutes later, Pennsbury earned a penalty corner and tallied their sixth goal when Abby Anderer assisted Nandi Ntshalintshali on a really well executed low angle, deflection from the baseline. "Although it was not the corner play we called, it was great to see them get creative and finish strong in the moment," said Curtis. "Upper Dublin had really great hits throughout the entire game - very powerful and when they connected they pressured us pretty well," stated Curtis. "It was another awesome team win with contributions from everyone across the board. Goalies, Abby McCole and Amelia Fernades shared the shut out." Pennsbury will host Quakertown on Saturday morning, Sept. 20th at Falcon Field. This win puts PHS at 7-1 overall. 

 

 

September 20, 2025
Quakertown 1, Pennsbury 0

It was a gorgeous Saturday morning at Falcon Field - a great day to play field hockey. Pennsbury arrived ready to continue their four game winning streak and put an exclamation point on the week, but unfortunately they fell short to an equally talented Quakertown team in a hard fought battle to the bitter end. The first quarter was back and forth with much of the game happening between the 25s. The stats were neck and neck with each team earning penalty corners and getting a couple of shots on goal. The score was 0-0 going into the second quarter. The second quarter was more of the same high intensity battle. Each team had opportunities in the circle, but the score was deadlocked at 0-0. "I feel like our teams played a very similar style hockey and it was just talent against talent all over the field. We were playing really well using our passing combos, playing really strong defense, and working the ball up the field, but we were not completing the final steps on goal," said PHS coach, Traci Curtis. "It was great hockey on both sides and a really evenly matched game, but there were definitely moments when we could have capitalized on the situation and just fell one step short," Curtis said. The five minute half time was a much needed breather for the Falcons and the Panthers. The goose eggs on the scoreboard told the story of the first half and those double zeros continued to speak all through the third. Neither team was able to get the ball across the white line for 45 minutes - the fans were certainly getting their monies worth (although it was free admission) from the performance on the field. It was quite a show! The final 15 minutes were met with temperatures rising and a game that could go either way in a moment. And that moment came for Quakertown with less than five minutes in the game. Fifty five scoreless minutes into the game, after a stellar series of stops from Pennsbury goalie, Abby McCole, the Panthers earned a corner. "They used a slip pass that got by our flyer and second step defender. Quakertown stuck a stick in for a tip to redirect and it slipped through McCole's legs and they finished with power to get the goal," explained Coach Curtis. "They got the touch they needed in the moment. We played it to the best of our ability and it just wasn't enough to deny them." There was plenty of time left for the Falcons as they reset with confidence. PHS came down and pressured multiple times in the final minutes even earning a penalty corner with the clock ticking away. "We could taste the tying goal and were pounding on the doorstep until the very end. It just didn't go our way today," said Curtis. "Games like that are heartbreakers, but still awesome learning opportunities with such value for the future. It was an excellent field hockey game and that is what we want from our players," said Curtis. "You could see the hearts strewn all over the field and that's the feeling that makes us who we are. We are taking one step at a time and keeping our eyes looking ahead." Pennsbury will put one foot in front of the other and travel to Upper Moreland on Monday.

September 22, 2025
Pennsbury 6, Upper Moreland 0

The Falcons kicked off the week with a trip to Upper Moreland to face the Golden Bears. Just about 48 hours after a tough 1-0 loss on Saturday to Quakertown, PHS was ready to get down to business and get the job done. They dominated possession from the start and set the tone with patient passing and solid connections. Four minutes into the first quarter, Abby Iacona sent a perfect pass to the stroke where Regan Rodriguez was waiting - Rodriguez beat the goalie with a well timed shot before the keeper could get back to center and meet the ball to make it a 1-0 game. "Abby Iacona is a play maker and has so many tools in her pocket. It is fun to watch her do the work to set up goals like the first one today. Her ability to feed and assist contributes greatly to our offense," said coach, Traci Curtis. "Rodriguez navigates the right side with confidence and works so well with Iacona and midfielder, Ava Pinto. That first goal happened using total teamwork and that's what we love to see," explained Curtis.  The second quarter was dominated by Pennsbury as they earned a dozen penalty corners so far in the game and had even more shots on goal. Iacona connected to score her first of the game with five minutes left in the second quarter. Cailyn Reilly took a rocket shot on goal off of a corner play and Iacona collected the rebound off pads and put the ball into the corner with a reverse lift. PHS was ahead 2-0 going into the half, but statistically speaking, they weren't finishing nearly enough. Despite the Falcons disallowing UM to cross the 50 yd line offensively, they were still struggling to find the cage until the final three minutes of the third quarter. During penalty corner play, Regan Rodriguez sent the ball across cage where Nandi Ntshalintshali protected the post and poked it past the UM goalie just in time. PHS went up 3-0. "The Upper Moreland goalie is beyond talented. She is agile, quick, smart, and has an eye for the ball. She denied so many scoring opportunities. The only way to get around her was to move the ball at mock speed and use lifts if possible," stated Coach Curtis.  "The Golden Bear players packed themselves in the circle so it was very difficult to navigate our scoring opportunities with precision - that is where all the penalty corners came into play because there were so many feet in the way," explained Curtis. Two of the first three goals were off of corner play. "It was frustrating to have 17 corners and almost 30 shots on cage and only have 3 goals, but it was forcing us to get creative, try a ton of different things, and think outside the box," said Curtis. "Fighting through all of the traffic in the circle was helping us to hone our skills, keep the ball on our stick, and take more shots from the outside," added Curtis. Pennsbury didn't wait as long to add to the score in the fourth quarter. Three minutes in, the orange and black earned a penalty corner - it was their 18th. Cailyn Reilly adjusted when the play got derailed and she made a pass down low to Allie Fouss. Fouss sent it to goal and Nandi Ntshalintshali collected the pass, spun, and hit the back corner. That was Ntshalintshali's second goal in a row, stretching the lead to 4-0. Iacona scored her second goal of the game six minutes later on a pass from Rodriguez that she received and put straight to goal and squeaked it through the keeper's attempt at a split save. The Falcons led 5-0 with six minutes left to play. As the final seconds ticked down, the orange and black took advantage of implementing quick decision making on a long hit opportunity. Iacona put the ball on cage from outside the circle and Ryan Burdette was there for the rebound off of the pads. Burdette pulled back and lifted the ball on cage for the sixth goal of the game. The buzzer rang right as the ball crossed the white line. "The final play was a great example of being aware and knowing the clock. Burdette choosing to lift was a response to our needing to be super creative with their stellar goalie. It was a great way to finish and put an exclamation point on the day," said Curtis.  Pennsbury will travel again on Thursday for a league match up with Harry S Truman, their second meeting of the season. 

 

September 25, 2025
Pennsbury 9, Truman 0

 

 

September 26, 2025
Pennsbury 3, Unionville 2

 

It was not quite Friday night lights as the Falcons boarded the bus early in the afternoon for a long journey to face a brand-new opponent - their third away game of the week. The miles on the back roads only fueled the anticipation, as players prepared for a tough matchup against a team they had never seen before. The Unionville Longhorns came into the game standing at 5th in the PIAA D1 2A rankings. Pennsbury entered 17th in PIAA D1 3A standings. Although the Falcons were 2 for 2 in games this week, the prediction was that Unionville was going to be a completely different level of competition and the PHS coaches could only hope that their squad was prepared for battle. The 1 1/2 hour bus ride gave them plenty of time to think about it. The campus was alive as it was the Longhorn's homecoming night in addition to many other activities happening around the school. Pennsbury staggered off the bus, collected their gear and made their way to the turf field, locked in for warm ups. The message in the pre game huddle was the same as it has been since day one - THE TIME IS NOW, No One Waits. Unionville struck first, three minutes into the game, on a beautifully executed penalty corner putting Unionville up 1-0. Bella Rossman placed a perfect straight shot into the corner giving PHS goalie, Abby McCole, no time to even think about making a save. "The shot was really well placed and definitely sent the message that they weren't wasting any time to show us who they were. It was a little bit of a gut punch, but I had total faith in our girls and knew they would answer," explained PHS head coach, Traci Curtis. Pennsbury didn't have an answer quite yet and Unionville sent another message with three minutes left in the first quarter on a long hit opportunity. The attack sent the ball into the circle and Bella Rossman assisted Kyra O'Donnell in a scuffle in front of the goal to put them up 2-0 going into the second quarter. "Yes, we were down 2-0, but we came into the huddle understanding that there was a lot of game left to play. It was all about believing in our abilities and working together as a team to execute, connect, and let our hearts lead the way. We were so impressed with our players' calm, focused attitudes. There wasn't much to say except keep working and push through the hard," said Curtis. And that they did. It did not take long for the Falcons to find their connection and make it a one goal game. "The goal started from the midfield with great one time passing up the left side - Leila Curtis to Mallory Harrison to Ryan Burdette. Ryan Burdette sent Abby Iacona a great through ball and Iacona took a quick shot that got deflected up and Regan Rodriguez picked up the deflected ball in the air and knocked it past the goalie. It was awesome hand-eye control by Rodriguez and a great decision by Iacona to put the ball on cage quickly because we were numbers up but they were gaining on us in the circle," said Curtis. "It was a 2-1 game and changed the whole trajectory of our mindset," Curtis added. The score held at 2-1 going into halftime. The third quarter belonged to the Falcons as they worked seamlessly, passing and connecting across the field. Abby Iacona set up the tying goal after a great passing series up the field. "Ava Pinto made a super smart cut back for a ball and sent an awesome through pass to Rodriguez who carried it and pushed it ahead to Iacona. Iacona took it baseline and dumped it to stroke where Leila Curtis was waiting with a great one time shot. The goalie never had a chance to make the step and the game was tied 2-2," explained Curtis. "It was so much fun to watch them work together as a unit. It was really, really great hockey on both sides of the ball," Curtis said. Four minutes later, it was another Rodriguez - Iacona combo pushing up the right side of the field. "Iacona, once again, selflessly set up the third goal with a shot across to put it in play. Burdette collected the rebound and lifted it past the Longhorn goalie to put the orange and black up 3-2," said Curtis. There was still plenty of game left and the Falcons needed to find a way to hold onto the lead. Unionville had strong sticks, hard shots, and played smart hockey - it was going to take almost perfect playing to deny a Longhorn goal. The final 15 minutes was all Pennsbury had to hold tight to the 3-2 lead and walk away with the win. Unionville attacked with ferocity in the fourth and spent a lot of time in Pennsbury's red zone. "Our defense played lights out today - Abby Hicks, Cailyn Reilly, Payton Worth, Abby Anderer, Joley Hohman, and Abby McCole shut down Unionville for three straight quarters, and especially denied them in the final fifteen," stated Curtis. "They are a solid unit and work so well together. The effort given by them to hold the Longhorns to those first two goals was a reflection of their working for the greater good - we are so grateful for their hearts." "Our attack and mids worked so well together and made really smart decisions all around - Iacona had her hand in all three goals and we had three different goal scorers. We cannot be more proud of the come-from-behind win and the work they all put in today," said Curtis. "This was a great win, a great performance, and a great testimony to who we are this season. Unionville is a tough team who forced us to climb a mountain and we accepted the challenge." Pennsbury will hit the road once again on Monday to face Bensalem for the second time around. 

 

September 29, 2025
Pennsbury 3, Bensalem 1

The Pennsbury Falcons came into game day Monday hot off of a huge win against Unionville Friday afternoon, but as we all know in sports - big wins can sometimes be followed by big losses...emphasis on 'sometimes'. The PHSFH coaching staff was approaching the match up against Bensalem with a message of caution to their players. Coach Traci Curtis explains, "We know how hard Bensalem is working and the growth they have had as a program over the years. This is the strongest they have ever been and it's intimidating. Their goalie is stellar and their players are smart. They were going to come at us full force and take advantage of a home game knowing that we have not played on a grass field since the last time we traveled to them a year ago. We could not assume anything based on our first game against them on turf (PHS won 5-0 a month ago). This was a whole different situation." 

Despite earning a penalty corner in the first minute of play and possessing the ball for a majority of the first quarter, PHS found themselves struggling to get into the groove and play their game early on. "We were passing and moving well, but it was difficult to connect and Bensalem had strong sticks, continuously stopping our momentum," said Curtis. 

Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter and the orange and black knew they were going to be forced to work double time for every success within the game. 

Curtis' prediction was spot on. The second quarter was back and forth with a very evenly matched battle between the 25s.  Bensalem was the first to connect and finish in the circle at the seven minute mark. On a long pass from outside the circle, the blue and white got a touch, Pennsbury's goalie, Abby McCole made an initial save, but the Bensalem attacker had a quick stick rebound off of pads and deflected it to her teammate who was able to tally the goal. The Owls were once again proving their strength, power, and fight and Pennsbury found themselves a goal behind, clawing their way out of moments all over the field. Bensalem held the 1-0 lead going into half time. 

It was a tale of two halves as Pennsbury dominated possession and opportunities in the third, but was still struggling to finish and get on the scoreboard. "We had chances with attacking penalty corners, shots on goal, and breakaways, but we just were not capitalizing on those moments," said Coach Curtis. "We knew it would be tough to get past their keeper. We needed to get more hungry, creative, and stay low in the circle." 

The Falcons finally found their tying goal when a penalty stroke was awarded with four minutes left in the quarter. Junior, Cailyn Reilly stepped up and nailed it into the backboard with precision and strength. But the game was far from over and the clock kept ticking away the minutes in this tight conference contest. 

With 35 seconds left in the quarter, Cailyn Reilly made a great defensive clear out wide to begin a well executed passing series up the right side. Abby Iacona worked her magic to get the ball into the red zone and put it on cage. Bensalem's goalie misplayed the save and PHS junior midfielder, Ryan Burdette was on the stroke to pick up the rebound and make it count. Pennsbury went up 2-1 with 16 seconds left in the third. "I could feel us settling in finally and playing our style of hockey. It was nerve wracking to watch us fumble around the field for the first half, but once we got our feet under us, it was a much more smooth performance," said Curtis. 

The Falcons continued to attack in the fourth with determination. Abby Iacona earned a corner around the ten minute mark and PHS executed it beautifully from start to finish. After the initial shot, Ava Pinto collected the rebound off of pads and slammed it home to put the Falcons up 3-1. 

"Our defense was solid once again and continued to deny the Owls any chances. Senior, Abby Hicks had a defensive save and really stepped to the ball with laser focus and patience today," That coupled with us capitalizing on possessions allowed us to go up two goals and hold them to their one." 

 

Bensalem never let down and with two minutes left in the game they were awarded a penalty stroke - the second of the day with each team having one. The ball was put wide of the cage and Pennsbury held onto their lead until the final buzzer, taking home the win. "Kudos to Gary and his staff for how far he is taking this program. His team put up quite a fight and challenged us all over the field. I'm glad we can add this to our win column and take the next step - they certainly did not make it easy. We are seeing a lot of heart and at this point in the season and that is what we need to carry us through. We need our hearts to lead the way," said Curtis. Later this week, Pennsbury will travel to Souderton for a game under the Friday Night Lights. 

 

October 3, 2025
Souderton 3, Pennsbury 0

The Falcons took to the highway for their fifth away game in a row, this time heading to Souderton for a Friday Night Lights showdown. It was also Souderton's senior night celebration. The last time these two teams met was in 2023 and it ended with a huge 6-1 win for the Indians. A much different Pennsbury team arrived to the turf tonight, and as the final notes of The Star Spangled Banner hung in the air, you could feel the energy and excitement rising from the group. "Our season mantra, "The Time is Now - No One Waits" is so fitting for moments like this. It has taken us seven years to even begin to earn respect, be a part of the mix at a high level, and confidently face opponents like Souderton and believe that we actually belonged there," explains head coach, Traci Curtis. "Years ago we would have accepted our fate before we even began, and tonight, it was all about our fight and what we bring to the pitch as a whole team. The score of tonight's game does not tell the complete story - there are details  threaded throughout that paint a much more accurate picture of the whole." The first quarter was an evenly matched battle from end to end with each team getting a couple of shots on goal and nice opportunities to score. The Falcons earned two penalty corners and had a few breakaways that put everyone's hearts in their throats. The game was 0-0 after the first fifteen minutes and as the sun set perfectly behind the campus trees, the fans knew they were going to get a great show for the price of admission. For the first nine minutes of the second quarter it was a continued neck-and-neck fight with great skill, execution, and speed on both sides of the ball. Souderton capitalized at the six minute mark with a heads up play during a split second PHS defensive breakdown in the circle making it a 1-0 game. "Their first goal will be forever in my "wish we could rewind" pile," stated Curtis. "The ball was put in our feet in the circle and we thought the whistle would blow for a corner, but the ref was holding for advantage. Souderton did the right thing and just kept at it and the whistle never blew. Our defender got caught hesitating and our goalie was not fully ready so it was a simple tap in and a goal that just should not have happened. It was one of those that seemed to move in slow motion, but you just couldn't make it stop." The Indians connected again with 1:30 left in the quarter on a well executed, lifted corner shot from just inside the circle, stretching the lead to 2-0 going into halftime. "We were extremely pleased with the performance of our girls on the field. Everyone was doing their job, playing with heart, and creating offensive opportunities as a team," said Curtis. "Souderton is an extremely skilled, sharp, and strong team whose style is not much different than other high level opponents we have faced and honestly a mirror image of how we play as well. Despite being down two goals, we were certainly not out of the game or being dominated, we just needed to find ways to make a few smarter passes and finish in our attacking circle," Curtis said. We challenged and forced them to work for everything they were getting. The third quarter looked at though it was going to be scoreless until, with under a minute to go, Souderton sent a nice cross pass from the right side that got through the crowd and Lydia Lynch ran onto it and slammed it past the Falcons' goalie. "Our left back, Payton Worth, made a great stop in the circle and sent the ball out, but Souderton picked up the clear and sent it back across - it was crazy how it made it seamlessly through the crowd in the circle and we weren't tight enough on the far post to deny them that goal," explained Coach Curtis. "It was a great ball and once again, after fourteen minutes of great, focused play on our part, Souderton capitalized on a split second opportunity and it worked," Curtis said. It was 3-0 going into the final quarter and Pennsbury was not giving up. At this point the shots on goal were basically the same and PHS was ahead in earned corners. It was not for lack of chances on the Falcon side. Both defenses were playing lights out, midfielders were running full field sprints, and the forwards were keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Despite earning a few more penalty corners and penetrating the red zone quite a bit, the orange and black could not find their way onto the scoreboard. However, they held the Indians scoreless in the first and fourth quarters, allowed only three goals, gave up only two penalty corners, and held them to less than ten shots on goal. "This was an outstanding showing against a PIAA top five ranked team," stated Curtis. "All of our girls played their hearts out and played so well together. We are so proud of them. Mallory Harrison played a great game at forward tonight alongside her fellow forwards, Abby Iacona and Regan Rodriguez who are playmakers and so creative. Midfielders, Leila Curtis, Ryan Burdette, and Ava Pinto did their jobs really well - Pinto stepped to the ball with strength and skill and helped us to maintain possession many times. Our defense is so reliable and consistent. They are a solid unit of awesomeness - Payton Worth, Joley Hohman, Abby Hicks, and Cailyn Reilly denied many opportunities and worked so hard to make big stops. Goalie, Abby McCole, completes the picture and does a great job protecting the cage and guiding from the backfield. "It was a tough loss - we have not lost a game since September 20th and we were on a four game winning streak before tonight.  We will take so many great pieces away from this game and use it to better ourselves. We continue to take one step at a time and improve ourselves from the inside out as we go," said Curtis.  Pennsbury will host Neshaminy on Monday, October 6th for a matchup under the lights at Falcon Field. 

 

 

 

October 6, 2025
Neshaminy 3, Pennsbury 2

The full moon rose over the visitor stands at Falcon Field on Monday night, a giant glowing ball that made many stop and pause at the sight. It was a gorgeous night for field hockey and the perfect setting for this October showdown between the Falcons and the Skins. When they met one month ago, Neshaminy squeaked by with the win, 2-1 leaving Pennsbury hungry for when they would meet again. The time separating the two games felt like an eternity, but it was finally here. The weight of the game hung in the air, an unspoken layer - with a Neshaminy win, the Skins would be one step closer to clinching the SOL and with a Pennsbury win, the Falcons would be one step closer to sharing a piece of the SOL title. 

No one likes to share when it comes to titles and Neshaminy made sure it won't happen, as they walked away with a 3-2 victory in what proved to be another great battle. 

Pennsbury came out the gates with power and earned two penalty corners in a row in the first minute. The Skins denied the opportunity with strong defense and sent a message that this would be a fight for the full sixty. Neshaminy answered with two penalty corners and connected on one of their set plays with a shot and deflection to put the red and blue up 1-0 halfway through the first quarter. "Our goalie misplayed the corner shot and did not have a strong save so it got through her feet and Neshaminy's Hailey Wert, who inserted, was right at the post to deflect the ball," said PHS coach, Traci Curtis. 

The rest of the quarter was played between the 25s with stats matching up between the two teams and the score holding 1-0.

The second quarter continued to be a back and forth fight of skill, strength, speed, and opportunity. Five minutes into the quarter, Neshaminy found another moment to capitalize and put the Skins up 2-0. "Unfortunately, we got caught in another defensive breakdown and it cost us again. Maci Fox beat our defender, dribbled into the circle with tons of space and took a shot from right to left. Our goalie wasn't properly set and was beaten in that moment on a pretty straight forward shot." Curtis added, "We have not been down in too many games this season, but when it has happened we have found ways to push and persevere and that's what the girls dug in and did for the remaining ten minutes of the first half." 

With two minutes left in the half Pennsbury made things very interesting and turned it into a one goal game. "Ryan Burdette started a quick free hit possession in the midfield and worked the ball into the circle, feeding it to goal. Abby Iacona received the rebound off of the pads, passed back out to Regan Rodriguez, who took a quick shot and Mallory Harrison timed a beautiful deflection perfectly," Curtis said. "It was a great teamwork moment and proved what we are made of," said Curtis. When the horn sounded for halftime the stadium was electric and the Falcons were on fire. 

Pennsbury had possession at the start of the second half and in the first two minutes earned three penalty corners in a row, putting pressure on full tilt. "We certainly did not take advantage of the opportunities we had. We worked so hard to earn the advantage and get the set piece and then we misplayed all three corners," explained Curtis. "We cannot give up those chances against a team like Neshaminy and make it ten times harder for ourselves. It's hard enough," added Curtis. It was a 2-1 game going into the five minute halftime.

The start of the third quarter was a repeat of the second quarter for the Falcons. Five minutes in, Neshaminy's Maci Fox, widened the lead by picking up a ball that got through the defense and reverse dumping it right past the PHS goalie. "It was like a carbon copy of their second goal and extremely frustrating to watch happen, not once, but twice," stated Curtis. "Fox made a heads up play and took advantage of another moment when our defense was not in a solid state." The Skins led 3-1 with ten minutes left in the third quarter. The rest of the third belonged to Neshaminy as they earned some corners and had more possessions, stifling Pennsbury's chances to dig out of the 3-1 hole. 

As the final quarter loomed, the Falcons were not shaken. They knew that fifteen minutes was forever and they could  claw their way back into the game. Halfway through the fourth they did just that. "Regan Rodriguez had a great stick down, plow to the ball moment, picking up the rebound off of a Neshaminy stick. She barreled right past the defender and had a breakaway to goal. It was basically a two vs. goalie as Rodriguez passed to Harrison on the left, but the Skins' goalie read the play well and broke up the chance to shoot. But the play didn't stop there - Iacona got the rebound off of the pads and reversed a beautiful shot right back at the goalie. The goalie made another strong save, but Harrison was back on pads trying to get creative because the keeper was down. Harrison took a few good shots and the keeper had multiple saves in a row until she cleared the ball past Harrison only to find Leila Curtis waiting toward the top of the circle. Curtis fired a strong push onto goal while the keeper was trying to get back on her feet and it had just enough power to get by a defender trying to make a defensive save," recounted Curtis.  The Falcons were back within one with about eight minutes left to play. The game was nowhere near over. The ball was in Pennsbury's scoring circle for a majority of the remaining time as they earned multiple corners leading up to a Falcon time out with about 2 1/2 minutes left to play. "We were dominating possession for a solid amount of time and just had to figure out a way to even the score. We are so confident in our overtime crew, we were hoping to get there," said Curtis. The black and orange earned another corner coming off of the time out and the excitement was palpable. Two more corners followed for PHS, but the ball just wasn't rolling their way. "It was amazing to watch our girls continue to fight and earn those set pieces into the final minutes of the game. We dug into our arsenal of plays and did our best to be creative and to execute at a high level. I think we did an awesome job of never giving up and playing to the bitter end," Curtis said. The stats were pretty closely matched with each team earning eleven corners and PHS getting five more shots on goal than Nesh. "This one will sting for a bit, but as we always do, we will break it down, take many powerful pieces from it, and prepare for the next step. It was a great high intensity, high level game and we are grateful for the privilege to be in that type of pressure situation. It only makes us stronger as players and as people." 

Pennsbury will travel to Council Rock North on Wednesday to face them for the second time. 

 

 

October 8, 2025
Pennsbury 3, Council Rock NORTH 2

 

Pennsbury was back on the road Wednesday, after a hard fought home battle against Neshaminy Monday night. It was time to face Council Rock North for the second time - another Patriot division rivalry. The first time the Falcons and Indians met, PHS walked away with a 6-0 win, but October always bring unknowns as teams often have a much different look late in the season and every game is a heightened challenge. The orange and black didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard going up 1-0 in the first three minutes of the game. "It was an Iacona, Burdette, Harrison trio of great heads up playing," said Coach Curtis. "Mallory Harrison broke up a pass coming across the middle and Iacona was there to pick it up off the CRN stick. Iacona made an incredible quick deception decision to reverse dump the ball out to Burdette who was charging up the left. It was a beautiful pass. Burdette touched the pass ahead to Harrison who had cut into the circle and Harrison dodged the goalie and sent it home." Curtis adds, "That type of connecting, passing, and awareness is so special and fun to watch." Pennsbury struck again with one minute left in the first quarter on a goal that went from end-to-end starting at the defensive 10 yard line. "Ava Pinto took a smart, super fast free hit coming out of the backfield and got the ball up to Regan Rodriguez. Rodriguez carried it up the right with speed hitting Iacona on the run. Iacona cut off the defender and sent the ball into the circle at stroke. The CRN goalie broke up a one time shot at the stroke, but Regan Rodriguez swooped in picking up the rebound and notched the goal to put PHS up 2-0," explained Curtis. "We were really proud of the way the girls were finding each other and working together in all of the layers on the field." 

The score was 2-0 going into the second quarter and the visiting side was looking to widen the gap even more. But the gap did not widen in the second quarter - a scoreless battle all over the field with a Pennsbury team that seemed to slow and lose some oomph. The Indians were knocking on the door earning a few corner opportunities and proving that they are not a team to ever back down. "If there is one thing we know about CR North, it's that they will sneak up on you, find ways to stay in the game, and make you work for what you want. We were not comfortable with a two goal lead and so much game left to play," said Curtis. And Curtis' intuition was right. Things got interesting late in the third quarter as Pennsbury watched the two goal lead change to one on a scrappy goal by Ella Moore. It was a 2-1 game with two minutes left in the third and an entire quarter left to play. "We had not scored in almost thirty minutes after scoring two within eleven minutes in the first quarter. It was a very uneasy feeling," said Curtis. That uneasy feeling worsened as the Rock took command at the start of the fourth, scoring the tying goal in the first 45 seconds. "We were very disjointed and it led to a breakdown defensively, but at the same time, we we were struggling to find a way to put the ball in the cage as the clock continued to tick the minutes away.  It was a bad combination and the 2-2 score stared us down with each passing second," said Curtis. The Falcons exhaled slightly when Mallory Harrison cleaned up the trash in front of the pads during a corner play and reversed the ball into the cage past all of the chaos. The orange and black did the work to keep the corner play going and took the play from start to finish to put them up 3-2 with eight minutes left in the game. "Harrison is doing a great job in the forward position and has really helped to complete our offensive puzzle in the past few games," Curtis said. 

Despite the ping pong play from circle to circle, Pennsbury was able to hold CRN for the remaining minutes and secure the division win. "Council Rock lived up to their fierce determination style and really forced us to dig deep and figure ourselves out today," explained Curtis. "We will take the win, but will continue to evaluate, do the work, and keep our eyes looking forward toward the next step." 

 

Pennsbury will travel to New Jersey to face Notre Dame on Saturday morning. 

 

 

October 11, 2025
Notre Dame 2, Pennsbury 1 (OT)

 

The Pennsbury Falcons took their game across the river on this rainy Saturday morning to face Notre Dame HS for the first time. The teams were set to play at the end of the 2024 season, but there were circumstances that hindered the opportunity and the game never happened.  The anticipation for this match up was building for a year and was predicted to be a great battle. And that it was. The opening whistle blew just as the rain dissipated. The pace was speedy from the start as Pennsbury set the tone with beautiful fast passing connections all over the field. The defense was locked and loaded and great hockey was being played on both sides. The orange and black struck first halfway through the first quarter on a well executed passing combo between Abby Iacona, Ava Pinto, and Ryan Burdette. "Iacona set up the first pass out to Pinto and she sent it across into the circle to a waiting Burdette who one timed it with power past the keeper," explained head coach, Traci Curtis. The Falcons went up 1-0 and held that lead going into the second quarter. The second fifteen minutes was a back and forth battle with the fans' heads on a swivel as if they were watching a tennis match. Both sides had scoring opportunities that were not amounting to any goals - Pennsbury still holding much of the advantage, and so close so many times. "Our girls were playing beautiful hockey and working together really well. We just were not putting an exclamation point on our scoring chances. Close is never enough," said Curtis. The scoreboard was lit with the 1-0 score going into halftime - it was a much needed breather for both teams as they strategized and hydrated. Pennsbury had yet to earn a penalty corner, while the Irish had a couple in the books. Shots on goal were pretty even. It was a neck-and-neck game despite the PHS lead. "It was obvious that Notre Dame were fighters and they had skill in a lot of key places that were challenging us the entire time. Their goalie was making saves and we definitely had to work for everything, but our team was giving it right back and it was just fun to watch the level and intensity," Curtis said. The Falcons earned their first penalty corner of the game about half way through the third quarter, but unfortunately didn't execute with precision and the Irish found themselves on the attack at top speed turning defense into a breakaway run. "Payton Worth broke up the play nicely as they came down the field, but there was some confusion about the ref's call with an incorrect hand signal, and an additional missed foul in consecutive moments that lost us possession. We found ourselves in trouble on our heels and Notre Dame was given the advantage and put one past goalie, Amelia Fernandes during a scramble at the stroke. It was a very frustrating series of events and allowed them to tie it up halfway through the quarter," said Curtis. "We still had plenty of hockey to play so we just had to keep pushing and work double time," she added.  It was still tied at one going into the final quarter and it was anyone's game.  The tight battle lasted for fifteen more minutes without a decision in regulation forcing the game into overtime. Ten minute sudden victory was pushing the players to dig in for over sixty minutes - the barometric pressure may have been sinking with impending storms, but the pressure on the pitch was rising high. The Falcons had several great opportunities in the first few minutes of the 7v7 to notch the winning goal, but the ball wasn't rolling their way. They earned their second penalty corner of the game and despite creative execution, couldn't find the back of the cage. The Irish refused to back down and returned the pressure ten fold. Four minutes into overtime Notre Dame dribbled onto a quick free hit, passed into the circle to their forward who took a sharp reverse shot from the left and hit the far corner with authority. Game over. "Games like that are so exciting and awesome to be a part of, but they sting like crazy and sit heavy for a long time," said Coach Curtis. "We played great hockey in so many ways, but need to also clean up many pieces of our game. The girls fought hard, worked hard, and did it together - we will take the lessons learned and apply them on Tuesday when we close out our regular season against Council Rock South." Pennsbury will celebrate their seniors Tuesday night at Falcon Field under the lights. 

 

 

October 14, 2025 - SENIOR NIGHT
Pennsbury 3, Council Rock SOUTH 2 

 

OH WHAT A NIGHT! The stage was set for the seniors at Falcon Field as Pennsbury prepared to face off against Council Rock South for the second time. It was senior night and also the last regular season game of 2025 - talk about seizing the moment! The first time these two teams met at CRS a month ago, PHS came out on top 3-2 with the first quarter being goal heavy. Tonight the final score was a carbon copy, giving PHS the 3-2 win again, but the fourth quarter saw most of the scoring action. In both match ups, the second quarter was scoreless. After the seniors and their families traveled the memory-laden path across the field, beneath the balloon arch, and met with their impact person (someone invited who has had a significant impact on their life), the line ups were announced and the anthem played. The Golden Hawks were entering the game hovering in playoff range sitting right at number 24, while Pennsbury sat at 17 after a tough OT loss to Notre Dame on Saturday. This game could help the Hawks secure a playoff berth and for PHS, it was a the possibility of getting a home playoff game if they could move up the rankings a bit. The stadium vibe was electric! The Falcons came out on fire, setting the tone with high speed passing and off ball movement, along with strong steps to the ball and overall great work ethic from end to end. South's goalie was making saves from the start, forcing the orange and black to get creative right away. Pennsbury struck first lighting up the scoreboard with about six minutes left in the quarter putting the Falcons up 1-0. Joley Hohman set up the play on a smart long hit pass back to defender, Cailyn Reilly. Reilly centered a beautiful ball to the top of the circle hitting Abby Iacona perfectly. Iacona's first touch was out to a waiting Ryan Burdette who shot it on goal and the finishing touch was made by Regan Rodriguez with a deflection right past the keeper. "It was a really great heads up series on all of those touches," said head coach, Traci Curtis. "Hohman's patience was key and Cailyn's precision was priceless. They all worked together to make that first goal happen." And that goal would stand alone though halftime and into the third quarter. Pennsbury had many opportunities to stretch the lead firing shots on cage and building on breakaways, but they were stopped many times by a very strong and determined Hawk defense. "They had really strong sticks and were stopping everything we put at them. The goalie was making consistent, saves and was protecting the cage with agility and confidence. We talked at halftime about the importance of keeping up the intensity and knowing that a one goal lead against a fierce team like South was not enough. We had to do more," explained Curtis. Coach Curtis was right. With six minutes left in the third quarter CRS earned a corner and capitalized on the moment. It was a tie game 1-1 and the temperature was rising. Little did both teams know that despite the thirty seven minutes of high intensity battling, the fourth quarter would be the main event. Two minutes into the final quarter Pennsbury broke the tie with an incredible breakaway effort by Ryan Burdette who dribbled through multiple players with sheer speed and saved the ball going over the endline with a one time pass back to stroke where Abby Iacona was ready to pounce and Iacona did pounce with confidence and laser sharp focus. "We literally practiced that type of attack on the ball at our workout the other day - just going to the ball hard in the circle and not waiting for the perfect shot. Ryan's fight got us the opportunity and Iacona didn't hesitate and  finished in the most beautiful way," Curtis said. The Falcons went ahead 2-1, but there was much more of the story yet to unfold. At the four minute mark, South earned three corners in a row and the third time was a charm as they connected on a nice, slightly lifted straight shot threaded right past Abby McCole's pads to tie it up. The clock was ticking and the game was deadlocked 2-2. The Golden Hawks were killing it considering they only had about six shots on goal and landed two of them. Pennsbury was quite the opposite with shots on goal in the twenties and only two to show for it. "It was amazing to see the girls putting the ball on cage, but we have to close the gap on chances versus finishing," said Curtis. "Here we were tied up and had dominated possession and shooting for over three quarters of the game. Our connections were precise, our IQ was off the charts, and our speed never wavered. As frustrating as that description sounds, it felt even worse. However, we were so proud that the players never looked back. They just kept moving forward and playing their game. They didn't panic and they just did what they needed to do." The heat was on and the fans were certainly on the edge of their seats, wondering where in the world this game could go next. Council Rock threatened with another penalty corner that was broken up by Ryan Burdette and as the minutes turned to seconds, Cailyn Reilly sent a bouncy ball from the defensive circle that got through to Abby Iacona. Iacona used her speed, skills, and smarts to carry down half the field using a give and go with Regan Rodriguez to beat a final defender before Iacona dumped to stroke for Ryan Burdette to ice the cake for the Falcons' 2025 regular season. It was 3-2 with fifty three seconds left on the clock. PHS played it smart and as the final buzzer rang they all exhaled at the same time. Three goals in twelve minutes in the fourth quarter reminds us all that it's never over until it's over. "We are beyond proud of the way our team played tonight. We didn't say anything different or do anything different, they just found what has been inside the whole time," said Curtis. "Every single person contributed, did their job, and did it to the best of their ability for sixty minutes. It was a wonderful night celebrating our seniors and experiencing that together on our home turf. It certainly was an exclamation point on the regular season," Curtis added. "South played an incredible game - their goalie was outstanding, their defense had really strong sticks, and they worked the ball very nicely from end to end. It was definitely a different team than when we played them a month ago and that is what makes the season so exciting. Teams are never the same the second time around." Congratulations to our seniors Abby Anderer, Caelan Henderson, Abby Hicks, Abby McCole, and Danielle Morgan - your legacies are just taking root and we will be sure to nurture them and continue to build upon what you are leaving with us. Pennsbury will wait to find out where they fall in the PIAA rankings and who they will face in the first round of playoffs. This will be the second year in a row they have earned a spot since Curtis & Co. took over seven years ago. The Pennsbury coaches and players would like to congratulate all seniors on their seasons and wish the best of luck to those teams moving on to play in the post season. It's fun to grow the game alongside all of you. 

 

 

October 20, 2025 - 1st Round of Playoffs - Ranked #17 - Traveled to Ridley
Ridley 3, Pennsbury 1

 

The 17th ranked Pennsbury Falcons were on the move again, settling in for a long bus ride to Ridley for the first round of playoffs. Despite missing the home field advantage by a fraction of a percentage point, PHS was proud to jump three spots higher in the rankings compared to last year. Finishing the regular season at 13-5 overall and 8-2 in the Patriot Division, PHS was ready for the next step and focused on preparing both mentally and physically for the rigor of "the third season" (pre, regular, post). There is no denying the higher stakes in a playoff game as teams work to hold onto the 2025 season with a tight grip. And as the starting whistle blew, there was no turning back and the battle began. Ridley came out strong as expected, while Pennsbury got caught on their heels defensively as they worked to adjust to the style and pace of play being shown on the the other side of the ball.  Almost exactly half way through the first quarter after several Ridley attacks, the Raiders connected to go up 1-0 on a diving goal by Samantha Flemming. "We got beat on the left side and they snuck the ball through into the circle and their player dove to get the shot off and was able to finish with strength," said Pennsbury head coach, Traci Curtis. "You could see the heart and determination in that first goal and it set the tone for them. It was taking us too long to settle in and get comfortable with our own game and that goal shook us harder than it should have."  Two minutes later Ridley shook the Falcons even harder by scoring on the first of their 14 penalty corners to make it a 2-0 game. "They moved the ball well in the circle on the corner play and our defense being numbers down in the moment did not get to the spaces quick enough to take away the scoring opportunity. Addison Hartfuss connected on a cross ball with a reverse one time shot, beating defenders and our goalie in seconds," explained Curtis. The Falcons had experience being down in a game and there was plenty of time left, so it was just a matter of digging in and doing the work. And they did do the work necessary to get several corner opportunities in the last few minutes before the quarter came to an end, but unfortunately could not execute to perfection to light up the scoreboard quite yet. It was a 2-0 game going into the second quarter. The Falcons showed some fight in the second quarter with good pushes into the Raiders' red zone and connecting on passing combinations that were missing in the first fifteen minutes. The pressure was a welcome shift in their play, but Ridley had answers and put another goal in off a penalty corner half way through the second quarter. The 3-0 deficit was looming large, but not enough to send PHS home packing. They knew how to fight and had plenty of time to show it. The five minute half time was a great chance for the Falcons to take a collective breath and talk strategy - mental strategy and game strategy. "Playoffs is where the will to win is what puts a team at an advantage along with believing in yourselves. The field hockey is there - the skills, the ability, the talent - but it's the will that makes the magic happen," said Curtis. "We needed to find the will inside each of us and put it together on the field in the second half." Pennsbury found their way onto the scoreboard four minutes into the third quarter, using their tried and true style of play to connect up the field and finish. "Mallory Harrison took a free hit sending it inside to Joley Hohman who put it up to Ryan Burdette in the center. Burdette tossed it to Regan Rodriguez on the right and Rodriguez sent it back to Burdette as they entered the circle and Burdette capitalized on catching the goalie off balance," said Curtis. "The passing and movement was what we were looking for in the first half. That is our style of hockey and it was nice to see it coming alive in the third quarter. It's never too late and we were proud of that effort and push in that moment." It was a 3-1 game with a ton of hockey left to play. The Raiders fought back hard with a barrage of corners throughout the quarter. Pennsbury played down due to green cards multiple times, but held strong disallowing any additional goals keeping it a 3-1 game going into the final quarter. "Our goalie, Abby McCole, was having a great game and really navigating the cage well. The three goals may not tell the right story about her performance, but she did a great job back there. Our defense was stepping up much better in the second half and making some great stops," added Curtis. Five minutes into the final quarter Ridley earned a penalty stroke on a chaotic play in front of the goal. Pennsbury's goalie, Abby McCole, stuffed the attempt, defending her cage and keeping the Falcons within two. "It was a great moment for sure," said Curtis. "McCole was locked in and I'm so glad that she had that spectacular save as a senior playing in this game." The remaining minutes of the game were a bit back and forth with Pennsbury attacking more often than earlier in the game and Ridley answering with return force. When the final buzzer rang across the turf, it was a 3-1 victory for the Raiders and the sound of a season coming to an end for the Falcons. "They are a strong, fast team with a great attack down the right side. Their defense had strong sticks and they were able to stifle our chances," said Curtis. "Unfortunately, we didn't put our best foot forward tonight and it took us too long to show up to play. It was great that we put one on the board and held them scoreless in the entire second half. Those are small victories that we will take with us for sure," added Curtis. "Senior, Abby Hicks, played a great game with a defensive save and many strong steps to the ball to shut them down. Senior, Abby McCole, was great in the goal and had a season highlight with a save on the stroke. Senior, Abby Anderer contributed in multiple places on both attack and defense for us tonight and did a great job handling it all with confidence and poise. Seniors, Danielle Morgan and Caelan Henderson were supportive contributors who consistently help us to be our best. We wish our five seniors the best as they move on and leave their legacies behind," said Curtis.