PIAA Class 2A Girls Lacrosse: Carroll’s Hippert Healthy and Happy to Contribute to Another States Win
WEST CHESTER — Senior Brooke Hippert had plenty to be grateful about following Archbishop Carroll’s 15-6 win over Wyomissing in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 2A state lacrosse playoffs Saturday at Henderson’s PennDOT Field.
First and foremost, the triumph keeps alive the Patriots’ bid for a fourth straight state championship. The Patriots (19-2) got off to another solid start, producing a 10-0 lead in the second quarter with Clare Sexton scoring three of her four goals.
The Patriots next oppose Bishop Shanahan (17-7) in Tuesday’s semifinals. Shanahan eliminated Upper Moreland, 11-7, Saturday.
Next, the ailing hamstring that sidelined Hippert for a handful of weeks felt as great afterward as the postcard-perfect weather on the 72-degree and sunny morning.
Last, but not least, where once Hippert privately wondered if there would be enough time to get her back on the lacrosse field this season, there she was finding the net twice in a state playoff game.
“They thought I tore my meniscus,” Hippert recalled. “But I just strained my lower hamstring. I missed three weeks, but like three of our pretty important games. Thank God, nothing was torn. This team is so fun to play with. We work so well together, and we practice so hard. So, it’s like really special to be able to get a few goals in and have some other girls that got a bunch of goals, too.”
The Patriots took charge from the outset and played a chunk of the second quarter onward with a running clock, having taken a double-digit lead. Hippert’s second goal late in the third quarter created a 14-1 advantage, the largest of the day.
Chloe Bleckley tallied three goals, and Sam Hewitt one goal and five assists for the Patriots, who haven’t lost in a month. Goalie Mei Rader notched six saves.
Senior attacker Sienna Golden, who scored a goal and won four draw controls, says the Patriots are locked in.
“We’re in a really good groove right now,” Golden said. “I would say a pretty good one.”
The Spartans were making their first foray into the state quarterfinals. Coach Keith Reidinger, who took over a program that struggled to win games, saw his girls gain significant experience against the defending state champs.
“Obviously they’re a talented team,” Reidinger said. “And we just missed 50-50 balls on the faceoff and on the draws. That first goal was crazy, weird. It got deflected and bounced in. Hopefully we continue to battle and get deeper next year.”
Kacey Maggs contributed four goals, and Mackey Lentz had the other goal for the Spartans. Goalie Skylar Maggs collected the bulk of eight saves in the second half.
Reidinger didn’t make any predictions, but he thinks Carroll is the team to beat.
“Multiple scorers, multiple points of attack,” Reidinger said. “And then really quite frankly, they’re very effective off the draw. It will be interesting.”
Then there is the will of a player like Hippert. On a 1-to-10 pain threshold, she was feeling a 9. From where she was with the injury to scoring multiple goals in a state playoff game is a minor miracle for a player who will continue her career at Canisius University.
“I wasn’t sure I’d get back into my starting spot,” Hippert said. “I worked really hard at physical therapy and in practice to try to gain back my spot. Everybody is so good. It was good to get back into my spot and get back into the games.”