Coach Polley's magic number

Some time back, assistant coach Janet Cody was looking through team records for her boss, Villa Maria coach Maurene Polley, when she discovered that Polley was nearing her 500th career victory at the school.

Cody noted that the magic number could come during postseason play but after discussing it with Cody, Polley forgot about it until the Hurricanes' PIAA District 1 Class AA championship game with Christopher Dock approached last week.

Polley, who is in her 41st year as coach, didn't want to share the news with her players, lest it put extra pressure on them.

"Our parents knew, but we didn't," said Hurricanes player Katie Briglia.

"It was just great to know that by winning the district championship we were also giving her her 500th win," said Sera Berlacher, who, like Briglia, is a senior captain.

The Inquirer's top-ranked Hurricanes, who won two state titles in the early 1990s, face Lancaster Mennonite in the PIAA quarterifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday at Exeter Township High, near Reading. They beat the District 3 second-place team early in the regular season.

"We played them on grass the first time. This one will be on artificial turf," said Berlacher. "It will be a different type of game."

Cardinal O'Hara coach Nicole Nelson missed one of the biggest wins in the school's history Tuesday, but she hopes to be back on the sidelines for Saturday's PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal game against Central Bucks South.

Nelson was home on doctor's orders in the Lions' 2-1 overtime win over District 1 fourth-place finisher Wissahickon after giving birth to a daughter, Gabrielle, less than two weeks ago. She got phone updates during the game from the mother of Alicia Govannicci, an O'Hara player. Govannicci scored both goals for O'Hara.

"I'm hoping I can go to Saturday's game" at Leeds Middle School in Germantown, Nelson said. "It's close, and I'm hoping the doctor lets me travel."

Before the overtime against the Trojans, Nelson also conferred with her sister, Marie Murphy, who has been running the team in Nelson's absence. Murphy is the O'Hara junior varsity coach.

"We decided what players to take off the field [for the seven-on-seven] overtime," Nelson said.

Govannicci's first goal came the only time O'Hara has connected all season on the first shot after the ball was inserted on an offensive penalty corner.

Episcopal Academy needs a win tomorrow at Agnes Irwin to grab a share of the Inter-Academic League crown. The Churchwomen (10-1 league, 15-3-1 overall) have not won the championship since 1999.

"It's been a while," said coach Gina Buggy, whose team beat Notre Dame, 4-1, Friday to set up the chance to tie for the crown. The Irish have finished their league season at 11-1.

Buggy said one of the big reasons for her team's success has been play of senior goalie Caitlin Powers. The North Carolina-bound Powers has nine shutouts.

She is one of four seniors - Catherine Shugrue, Jatie Ivory and Kelly Moore are the other three - that Buggy will lose.

"They have been an integral part of the team, and we'll miss them," Buggy said. "We'll have seven starters back and that is encouraging."

Merion Mercy is celebrating one of the biggest postseason victories in its history. The Golden Bears' 3-2 win over perennial District 3 power Oley Valley in the opening round of the state Class AA playoffs Tuesday was a little payback.

"The win was awesome," said Merion Mercy coach Jen Campbell. "Last year, they beat us, 1-0, on a penalty stroke. They play on [artificial] turf all the time. We play on a grass, so it was really great to get the win on turf.

The Golden Bears, the second-place team from District 1, face District 2 champ Indian Valley on Saturday at Central Dauphin High.

"I don't know much about them," Campbell said, "but I do have a secondhand scouting report on them. We're playing with confidence now."

Team Record

Records through yesterday. Last week's rankings are in parentheses.

1. Villa Maria Academy (2) 20-1-2

The Hurricanes scored a 2-0 win over Fleetwood in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs.

2. Central Bucks South (5) 19-3-1

The Titans marked their first appearance in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs by beating Stroudsburg, 2-1.

3. Neshaminy (1) 20-1-2

The Redskins fell from the unbeaten ranks with a surprising 4-1 loss to Wilson West Lawn.

4. Episcopal Academy (1) 16-3-1

Episcopal needs a win tomorrow at Agnes Irwin to share the Inter-Academic League title.

5. Notre Dame Academy (3) 18-1-1

Episcopal handed the Irish their first loss of the season, setting up a potential Inter-Ac title tie.

6. Merion Mercy (9) 16-6-1

The Golden Bears were impressive in a 3-2 win over Oley Valley in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.

7. Downingtown West (6) 18-5-1

The Whippets bowed to Central Dauphin in their first state playoff appearance in five years.

8. Strath Haven (7) 19-2-1

Defending PIAA champion Emmaus shut out the Panthers, 5-0, in the opening round of the playoffs.

9. Cardinal O'Hara (NR) 15-3-1

The Lions made their debut in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs a successful one by stunning Wissahickon.

10. Wissahickon (4) 18-5

A late season collapse had the Trojans lose three straight, including a state playoff game to O'Hara.

- Don Beideman