Henderson earns first district title

Emily Finn was sick, but she felt great.

The senior goalkeeper for West Chester Henderson, the No. 1 seed in the District 1 Class AAA field hockey playoffs, was just getting over pneumonia in time for the district final against No. 2 Central Bucks South on Saturday.

But a week and a half of the illness showed no signs of slowing Finn. She made 17 saves, including 13 in the second half, to lead the Warriors to a 1-0 win at Wissahickon and their first district field hockey title in program history.

Fourth-year coach Jennifer O'Donnell was at a loss for words when trying to put the win into perspective. She said she didn't expect this at the beginning of the season.

"I'm truly amazed. I'm in awe," O'Donnell said. "A lot of times, kids say, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' and they blow you off, but these kids don't. They take what the coaches want you to do and they do it."

Finn, nicknamed "Finntastic" by her teammates, was too sick to play in the Warriors' 2-1 semifinal victory over No. 4 Owen J. Roberts on Wednesday, but was cleared to play a day before the championship game.

"Once I got onto the field, I felt great," said Finn, whose play was crucial in a game in which Henderson was outshot, 27-6. "I mean, what's pneumonia?"

Junior Susannah Pitt scored for Henderson off a corner with a little more than 10 minutes remaining. She lifted a rebound above the pads of goalkeeper Sarah Zesotarski after a shot by senior captain Katie O'Donnell.

O'Donnell, Jennifer's daughter and the second all-time leading scorer in Pennsylvania, received the honor of placing a medal over her mother's head in the postgame ceremony.

"I love you," the coach said, crying. "I'm so proud of you."

W.C. Henderson 0 1 – 1

Central Bucks South 0 0 – 0

Goal: WCH-Susannah Pitt.

Saves: WCH-Emily Finn 17; CBS-Sarah Zesotarski 4.