PIAA Girls State Final Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2023 high school season concluded on Friday and Saturday in Mechanicsburg with the staging of eight finals. It was a big weekend for Eastern Pennsylvania with teams from Pennridge, Central Columbia and Dock Mennonite all capturing state titles. Pennridge completed an impressive unbeaten season making it back to the final and winning it with a 4-1 win over Conestoga in a rematch of the District 1 final. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at players who impressed on the high school game's biggest stage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["25692"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":154359,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"While it's hard to find any flaws with this Pennridge team, it's also very clear who the leader of the group was with [player_tooltip player_id='25692' first='Anna' last='Croyle'] dominating from the back and leading her team to a dream ending. Croyle scored the eventual game winner off a [player_tooltip player_id='26005' first='Sophie' last='Craig'] corner in the first half and anchored a back line that was able to close down Conestoga after they pulled a goal back to make it 2-1.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["25896"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":155032,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Balmer was a problem for Conestoga from the opening whistle with her runs down the right flank. She was able to create a number of chances and set up the opening goal for Pennridge on a great cross. Her work defensively in winning back the ball back was instrumental.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["25863"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":155033,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Conestoga's attack goes through Kemmerley and while it only produced the one goal on the night it came from Kemmerley's work in the final third. Her ability to win the ball in the middle of the field and spring attacks going forward is impossible to miss and a big reason why the Pioneers are in good shape for another deep run next season.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":155031,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Kayla Keefer","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Central Columbia","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"STN North Penn","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Keefer was a goal-scoring machine all season after leading her team to a state title last year. 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Bull scored a nice goal in the first half and was pulling the strings in the second half to wrap up the school's set straight title.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='157369' first='Ashley' last='Brown']","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Dock Mennonite","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Teams that win state finals are often senior laden - experience at the biggest stage often matters most - but Dock Mennonite's star freshman was the one putting on a show to lead the program to its first state title. While the keeper will want a couple of the chances back, Brown put on a clinic with four goals on the day in a 5-1 win over Riverview.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["25899"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"It wasn't Riverview's day in a 5-1 loss but [player_tooltip player_id='25899' first='Lola' last='Abraham'] still shined as one of the best players on the field even in the losing effort. 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