Dallas Game Suspended, Will Be Finished Today
Lightning also hinders Hoban as contest is postponed and will be played today.
Michelle Gibbons of Dallas, right, wins the header over Lancaster Mennonite’s Katie Ruth during Friday’s PIAA Class 2A state playoff game in Allentown. The game was eventually suspended due to thunderstorms and will resume today at Emmaus High School.
Pete G. Wilcox/the times leader
ALLENTOWN – Had the rain and lightning held off about 10 minutes longer and the Dallas defense held on for the same amount of time Friday, there would be no need to worry today.
The weather, though, didn’t and Dallas never had a chance for an abbreviated victory.
Instead, Dallas and Lancaster Mennonite will resume their PIAA Class 2A girls soccer game today at a new site, new time and same score – Dallas 1-0.
Lightning struck over J. Birney Crum Stadium with 10:09 left in the first half, and the officiating crew immediately halted the game. A driving rain pounded the area before the teams could clear the sideline.
So now, District 2 champion Dallas and D3 fourth seed Mennonite will resume the game at that point at 7 p.m. today at Emmaus High School. The game couldn’t be earlier because Mennonite has graduation.
D2 2A runner-up Bishop Hoban and D11 champion Catasauqua were postponed by inclement weather after the teams arrived at Hersheypark Stadium. The game will be played at 5:30 p.m. today at Hersheypark.
All Dallas needed to advance to Tuesday’s semifinals was to play the final 10:09 and hold the Blazers scoreless. If the game reached halftime, it would have been official.
“Ten more minutes and it was over, but what can you do,” Dallas coach Chris Scharff said. “That’s OK, it’s fair to them. I’d rather play a fair game. I’m just glad it continues from the time and the score and it doesn’t start over.”
PIAA officials waited nearly two hours, even postponing the second game at the stadium – a 3A quarterfinal between Central Bucks West and Wilson – in hopes of getting in the game. But while the rain subsided and even stopped at times, the lightning remained in the area.
Dallas freshman Ellen Arnaud scored the game’s only goal in the fifth minute. She took a long pass while angling slightly away from the goal in the left part of the penalty area and clipped the ball to the far post.
Mennonite appeared to tie the score in the eighth minute, but the goal was waved off. Julie Collins launched a long shot from the right side that went in, but hit off the arm of a teammate in front of the goal.
The handball violation wiped out that goal, and Dallas keeper Jill Spring made a punch save of a long shot to prevent another.
Dallas outshot Mennonite 6-4 and neither team had a corner kick.
Seven of eight quarterfinal games in the two classifications were postponed or suspended. ELCO defeated New Hope-Solebury 2-0 Friday and will play the Hoban vs. Catasauqua winner on Tuesday.
