First Posted: 10/30/2014
Dallas ended Scranton Prep’s three-year run as District 2 Class AA girls soccer champion and made it to the top for the first time since moving from the spring to the fall in 2012.
Talia Szatkowski scored both goals, including the game-winner with less than six minutes remaining, Wednesday night to lift Dallas over Scranton Prep, 2-1, in the championship game at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
Dallas won seven straight District 2 championships from 2004-2010 when it played in the spring with the rest of the Wyoming Valley Conference teams. That stretch included the 2007 state Class AA championship.
Scranton Prep prevented that success from carrying over on the district level in the fall. The Classics eliminated the Mountaineers, 4-1, in the 2012 semifinals and won last year’s championship game battle of league champions between the two teams, 3-1.
Dallas bounced back from that championship game loss last season to win one state tournament game before losing, 4-3, in overtime to Hopewell in the quarterfinals.
Wednesday’s win not only gives the Mountaineers a district championship, but it puts them close to home for the first round of state play. Dallas will get to play at a District 2 site in the Tuesday state tournament opener against the District 4 champion, either Lewisburg or Montoursville.
Szatkowski converted a Kylee Saba pass into the game’s first goal in the eighth minute.
Sydney Emershaw finished with seven saves for Dallas, including three tough ones late in the first half with the game tied, 1-1.
Katie Snedeker’s pass sprung Szatkowski for a breakaway on what proved to be the game-winner.
With the top two Class AA girls teams going to the state tournament, Dallas qualified for PIAA play when it got past Coughlin, 2-0, in Monday’s semifinals.
The unbeaten Mountaineers were ranked fourth in the state among small school (Class AA and A) girls teams in the final regular season poll conducted by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association.
After rolling over Western Wayne, 11-0, and Valley View, 10-0, in the first two rounds, Dallas earned the shot to test itself against state competition with Monday’s shutout of Coughlin.
Ruby Mattson scored late in the first half and Ashley Strazdus scored with less than 10 minutes remaining. Sam Mazula assisted Mattson’s goal and Emershaw made five saves in the shutout.
Szatkowski had five goals and two assists in the Oct. 24 rout of Valley View. Mattson and Mazula added two goals each in the win.
The Dallas and Lake-Lehman boys were both eliminated in the quarterfinals of the District 2 Class AA tournament.
Crestwood defeated Dallas, 4-2, Oct. 23.
Nate Wood had both goals for Dallas in the loss.
Valley View shut out Lake-Lehman, 3-0, in a game that was postponed until Oct. 25.
