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Michigan native Hamler powers unbeaten Penn State past Wolverines

Serving up anunprecedentedrun of success

<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; It took one full season, and entire schedule of another and more than 10 minutes of overtime.</p><p>But Lackawanna Trail finally caught Northwest at the top of the field hockey standings.</p><p>Bella Jagoe snuck an open shot just inside the left post with 4:39 left in overtime Saturday and Trail rallied past Nanticoke Area 2-1 to finish the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 season tied for first place with Northwest.</p><p>&#8220;It was really important to us that we scored,&#8221; Jagoe said.</p><p>A tie wouldn&#8217;t have cut it.</p><p>A 1-1 score would have left Trail a half-game behind Northwest for the Division 2 title &#8212; the exact same position the Lions finished in last year. Now, both teams are 13-2 and will play each other for the league title &#8212; after both finish play in the District 2 Class A tournament, which starts Monday.</p><p>&#8220;Last year, we were a half-game out of first place because of a tie,&#8221; Lackawanna Trail coach Gary Wilmet said. &#8220;We certainly did not want that to happen again.&#8221;</p><p>Jagoe prevented it.</p><p>She took a cross-field pass from Belle Coleman at the far end of the circle and pushed the ball between the goalie and an uncovered area next to the post.</p><p>&#8220;It was a touch pass. I was able to sweep it in,&#8221; Jagoe said. &#8220;Their goalie was out and I was able to sweep it.&#8221;</p><p>Most of Nanticoke Area&#8217;s defense flowed toward Coleman, who was at the opposite end of Jagoe&#8217;s shot near the top of the circle.</p><p>&#8220;It was actually an awkward angle for me to get,&#8221; Coleman said. &#8220;I tipped it into the corner, Bella Jagoe flipped it into the cage. I was hoping somebody would be there to get the tip-in. Fortunately, Bella was.&#8221;</p><p>The next tip will have to come at Northwest&#8217;s Lewis and Miller Stadium, where the Lions will open the District 2 Class A tournament at 6 p.m. Monday as the No. 5 seed against No. 4 Northwest &#8212; which barely edged Trail in the district power rankings for a home opener in the playoffs.</p><p>&#8220;You know where I&#8217;d rather play &#8212; at home,&#8221; said Wilmet, whose Lions are one of just three teams in the Class A field with grass as their home surface. &#8220;But we&#8217;ll go anywhere we&#8217;ve got to go.&#8221;</p><p>For the longest time, both teams seemed to be going nowhere Saturday at Nanticoke Community Park.</p><p>The Trojanettes struck first, when Riley Baird scored with 10:35 to play in the first half, but Trail answered back with a goal by Paige Hyde just 2:35 from halftime.</p><p>&#8220;I was very nervous and excited,&#8221; Coleman said. &#8220;I knew it was going to be a tough game. In the sense of them scoring, then us scoring, it was very nerve-wracking.&#8221;</p><p>After that, though, nobody scored for a while.</p><p>Both offenses stalled, failing to generate much action in the circle &#8212; save for a couple of late Nanticoke Area rushes and two prime penalty corner opportunities for Trail that were kicked away by Trojanettes goalie Alexus Nichols.</p><p>&#8220;It was very intense,&#8221; Jagoe said. &#8220;We did start off pretty slow. They scored first. Thankfully we were able to score before the half. That kind of built the momentum, but then nobody scored for a long time.&#8221;</p><p>Until Jagoe got her stick on the ball with the game on the line.</p><p>In Trail&#8217;s first of two victories over Northwest this season, it was Jagoe who broke a tie that lasted for nearly 40 minutes and started a 3-0 victory, quickly making her the go-to scorer in clutch situations.</p><p>&#8220;I perform very well under pressure,&#8221; Jagoe said. &#8220;There&#8217;s so much adrenalin and intensity. That makes it more fun.&#8221;</p><p>At least for Lackawanna Trail.</p><p>&#8220;She just wants to go at it,&#8221; Wilmet said of Jagoe. &#8220;She just really wants to score.&#8221;</p><p>Score one for the Lions, who to into districts riding a wave of emotion and now have a chance to win a league title that barely escaped them last year.</p><p>&#8220;Our goal this season, our first goal, was we were a half of a game away last year,&#8221; Wilmet said. &#8220;And last year was a big step for us. We wanted to take that next step. Now our next goal is to win a playoff game. The program is on its way back again.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Hazleton Area 8, Shikellamy 0</strong></p><p>Jill Buchman had a hat trick, Taylor Buchman scored twice and the Cougars warmed up for this week&#8217;s District 2 Class 3A semifinals by rolling past the Braves.</p><p>Gabby Cavenas finished with a goal and two assists in the win and Jill Kringe added a goal and an assist in the non-conference win. Hazleton Area will be the No. 2 seed when district play begins for Class 3A on Thursday.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lackawanna Trail 2, Nanticoke Area 1 (OT)</strong></p><p><strong>Lackawanna Trail`1`0`1 &#8212; 2</strong></p><p><strong>Nanticoke Area`1`0`0 &#8212; 1</strong></p><p><strong>First half &#8212;</strong> 1. NAN, Riley Baird, 10:35; 2. LT, Paige Hyde (Morgan Faist), 2:55. <strong>Overtime &#8212;</strong> 3. LT, Bella Jagoe (Belle Coleman), 4:39.</p><p><strong>Shots &#8212;</strong> LT 19; NAN 6. <strong>Saves &#8212;</strong> LT 5 (Lilly Rejret); NAN 17 (Alexus Nichols). <strong>Penalty corners &#8212;</strong> LT 10; NAN 8.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Olivia Nice dribbles the ball as Lackawanna Trail&#8217;s Dariane Jones moves in. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_nan_lt1_faa-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Olivia Nice dribbles the ball as Lackawanna Trail&#8217;s Dariane Jones moves in. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_nan_lt3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"><strong></strong>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Tiana Thomas moves the ball in front of Lackawanna Trail&#8217;s Willow Burnel. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_nan_lt3_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1><strong></strong>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Tiana Thomas moves the ball in front of Lackawanna Trail&#8217;s Willow Burnel. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_nan_lt4_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Amanda Margalski takes a shot on goal against Lackawanna Trail. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_nan_lt4_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Amanda Margalski takes a shot on goal against Lackawanna Trail. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Paul Sokoloski</p><p>psokoloski@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Jagoe’s overtime goal puts Lackawanna Trail in league title hunt