CATAWISSA R.R. - A year ago, Southern Columbia was in the midst of making what would eventually be a run to the PIAA Class A state championship game.
After Thursday's 3-1 Heartland Conference Division II loss to Warrior Run, the Tigers are in serious jeopardy of not qualifying for the District Four playoffs. Southern stands at 5-6-2 overall (5-5-2 HAC) and of its remaining five games, two are against very stout opponents (Loyalsock and unbeaten Millville) and the other three aren't gimmes.
What has Southern head coach Derek Stine frustrated is that, while he did lose several key players to graduation, he thought the returning players, mixed in with some younger players from the junior varsity and junior high teams, would be a group almost as formidable as last year's team. In terms of pure talent, they may be. But putting that talent together is not always an easy thing.
After starting the season with a 3-0-1 record, the Tigers have gone 2-6-1 since then, and Stine isn't sure why.
"We're in a slump, that's for sure," Stine said. "That's the word."
Whatever the reason, it's not for lack of trying. After falling behind 2-0 in the first half and giving up an own goal six minutes into the second half, the Tigers actually took it to the Defenders (11-1-2) the rest of the game. Sophomore Samantha Jankowski boomed a goal in from about 30 yards down the middle of the field off an assist from Kristen Kremser with 11:10 remaining. Warrior Run goalkeeper Madi Welliver juggled the ball a couple of times before eventually losing it. The Tigers had two other near-misses, one by Haley Levan with about 21:31 left, and another with about 6:40 left.
"We played better than we have for several games," Stine said, "but it still wasn't enough."
The only reason it wasn't enough was because Warrior Run is very, very good. The same type of intensity against lesser teams would likely pay off. To top the frustration, Southern tied Warrior Run 2-2 in the first game.
Warrior Run flat out earned its first two goals. Rachel Grow centered a ball to Erika Landis at the 8:48 mark which Landis shot by goalkeeper Blair Johnston. About eight minutes later Latricia Yocum, a freshman defender, kicked up a high floater which didn't look like it had enough juice but which somehow sailed by Johnston.
Then came the own goal. Landis, in the left corner, tried to center a ball which a Southern defender blocked. But Johnston, anticipating the ball going toward the far post, could not get back to stop the ball from caroming in.
"It wasn't a back breaker but getting three goals down made it a lot tougher," Stine said. "I don't even know who it bounced off. It was nobody's fault."
Warrior Run coach Jen Allen said that goal was huge.
"We talked at halftime how a two-goal lead is probably the most dangerous lead to have," Allen said. "They really pressured us in the second half, that's for sure."
Although Johnston gave up three goals, she also had 13 saves and threw her body around enough for a WWE tryout. By going out and challenging Warrior Run players, she made them make decisions on the fly which always weren't good ones.
"For a first-year goalie, she certainly is playing very well," Stine said. "She has that tenacity. Luckily, we have her for another year after this."
In fact, all but five of the 32 players on Southern's roster should be back. Some would call this a rebuilding year but Stine was confident of this group from the start. But he said getting the talent to mesh has been a problem.
"That's a fair thing to say," he said. "It's been an ongoing process. We've been trying to make things gel a little bit, for want of a better word. We're still a work in progress."
Unfortunately, it's a work of progress that's running out of games.
War. Run (11-1-2) 2 1 - 3
Southern (5-6-2) 0 1 - 1
WR - Erika Landis (Rachel Grow), 8:48
WR - Latricia Yocum, unassisted, 16:14
WR - Own goal, 46:06
SC - Samantha Jankowski (Kristin Kremser), 68:50
Shots - Warrior Run 18, Southern 12. Corner kicks - Warrior Run 10, Southern 1. Saves - Warrior Run (Madi Welliver) 5, Southern (Blair Johnston) 13.