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UNION TWP. — Before she even began grade school, Ariana Walker remembers her mother battling a big problem.
“My mom had breast cancer when I was 5,” Walker said. “I don’t remember too much about it, but my dad had cancer at the same time. It was an interesting time.”
Annie and George Walker are both cancer free now.
But the scare her parents went through when she was a child made Northwest’s annual field hockey game dedicated to breast cancer awareness really hit home for Walker.
So she hit a shot that became the game’s first goal Thursday, then added two assists as Northwest remained at the top of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 and in the hunt for a home playoff game by blasting Bewick, 5-1 in the Rangers’ Pink Game at the Northwest’s Lewis and Miller Stadium.
“It means a lot to me, this game,” Walker, a senior, said. “This is my last (home) cancer game.”
With her mom Annie cheering in the stands — George was away in Florida on Thursday — it took Walker just 1:41 to charge into the circle and pump home the game’s opening goal, followed by a quick fist pump.
“She’s always in the back of my mind,” Walker, also a District 2 medalist as a sprinter in track and field, said of her mother. “My mom’s always been there for me, through every field hockey game, every track meet. Everyone had their hardships. My mom and dad have always been so supportive.”
After her initial strike, Walker lent a little support herself.
She assisted Sydney Franchella and Milana Straub on Northwest’s second-half goals to help keep the Rangers comfortable with leads of 4-0 and 5-1. That gave her a Division 2-leading seven assists for the season, breaking a tie with teammate Irelyn Kishbaugh, who has five assists, for the team and division lead.
“She makes so much stuff happen,” Northwest coach Ashley Lawson said of Walker, “with just her speed, getting up the field. She creates so many chances for not only Sydney, but everybody else.”
Because of her all-out hustle, it was hard for the Rangers to guage how much extra incentive Walker was playing with on the team’s special night.
“She always gives everything,” Lawson said. “She’s always upbeat, always giving 100 percent. She’s a die-hard.”
Partly because of her hustle, the Rangers’ hopes for a second straight WVC title are very much alive.
Northwest improved to 9-1 in Division 2 play and 9-2 overall and holds a slight edge over Lackawanna Trail (8-2 league, 9-3 overall) in the race for a league title and the No.4 seed — which comes with a home playoff game — in the District 2 Class A power rankings. The Rangers, who have seven games to play, lead Trail by a half-game in Division 2 and in power points, .629 to .569. The two will play at Lackawanna Trail for the third and final time in the regular season on Monday, after splitting the first two games of the season series.
“It’s huge,” Lawson said of Thursday’s win. “Every game we play from here on out is going to be huge. We’re a half-game ahead of Trail in the division. We’re going for that, then we’ll see where we lay for districts.”
What the Rangers saw was more dazzling play from Franchella, who scored two more goals against Berwick to raise her Division 2-leading total to 13 and extend her career record for goals at Northwest to 78. Walker helped wrap up the scoring when she passed off to Milana Straub for Northwest’s final goal. It came after Hannah Hubley scored Berwick’s lone goal with 15 minutes to play, in a game that dropped the Bulldogs to 3-9-1 in a tight battle with Tunkhannock for the eighth and final District 2 Class A playoff berth.
The Bulldogs found themselves in a hole quickly, as Lauren Okuniewski took a feed from Franchella and followed Walker’s initial strike by scoring Northwest’s second goal midway through the first half. Then Franchella got geared up, scoring late in the first half and midway through the second off a pass from Walker to give the Rangers a 4-0 advantage.
“I started in 10th grade, Sydney started in 9th grade. We’ve been friends forever,” Walker said. “I’ve been friends with her since I was 8. Syd and I always work very well on the field.”
With both of them leading the way, the Rangers are working their way toward another league title run.
“It means a lot,” Walker said. “We’re really looking ahead toward winning our division. We always take Berwick seriously. We always go into every game wanting to win. It’s all about teamwork.”
Wyoming Area 2, Dallas 0
Kayla Kiwak scored the first goal of the game for the Warriors and Kari Melberger added another in the second half as Wyoming Area remained unbeaten in the WVC Division 1 and stayed right behind Wyoming Seminary in the race for a division title.
Toni Minichello had an assist on Melberger’s goal and Ellie Glatz made eight saves in goal to earn the shutout.
Holy Redeemer 4, Delaware Valley 0
The Royals held Delaware Valley to just one shot and the Royals moved to 7-3 in the WVC Division 1 by winning for the sixth time in eight games.
Caton Fahey scored twice in the first half for Redeemer and Kayla Serafin scored twice in the second half.
Meredythe Baird stopped the only shot she faced for the shutout.
Hazleton Area 3, Pittston Area 0
Jill Buchman scored her 100th career point in the Cougars victory over Pittston Area with a goal in the first half. She becomes the sixth member of Hazleton Area’s program to do so.
Jill Kringe had two points for the Cougars, scoring a goal and adding an assist. Taylor Buchman scored the other goal for Hazleton Area.
Northwest 5, Berwick 1
Berwick`0`1 — 1
Northwest`3`2 — 5
First half — 1. NW, Ariana Walker, 20:19; 2. NW, Lauren Okuniewski (Sydney Franchella), 15:11; 3. NW, Franchella (Walker), 11:22. Second half — 4. NW, Franchella (Milana Straub), 15:54; 5. BER, Hannah Hubley, 14:59; 6. NW, Straub (Walker), 12:47.
Shots — BER 3; NW 14. Saves — BER 9 (Jackie Nevel); NW 2 (Cassidy Gray). Penalty corners — BER 5; NW 13.
Wyoming Area 2, Dallas 0
Wyoming Area`1`1 — 2
Dallas`0`0 — 0
First Half — 1. WA, Kayla Kiwak, 14:31. Second Half — 2. WA, Kari Melberger (Toni Minichello), 18:17.
Shots — WA 17; DAL 8. Saves — WA 8; DAL 15 (Amanda Puza/Olivia Podskoch). Corners — WA 12; DAL 3.
Holy Redeemer 4, Delaware Valley 0
Delaware Valley`0`0 — 0
Holy Redeemer`2`2 — 4
First Half — 1. HR, Caton Fahey, 18:07; 2. HR, Fahey, 7:04. Second Half — 3. HR, Kayla Serafin (Addy Bielski), 8:19; 4. HR, Sersain (Becky Reditt), 6:36.
Shots — HR 13; DV 1. Saves — HR 1 (Meredythe Baird); DV 9 (Jo Loaurado). Corners — DV 4; HR 5.
Hazleton Area 3, Pittston Area 0
Pittston Area`0`0 — 0
Hazleton Area`2`1 — 3
First Half — 1. HAZ, Jill Buchman, 20:28; 2. HAZ, Jill Kringe, 0:49. Second Half — 3. HAZ, Taylor Buchman (Kringe), 10:12.
Shots — PIT 1; HAZ 14. Saves — PIT 11 (Mary Kelly); Hazleton 1 (Elaina Ashman). Corners — PIT 3; HAZ 9.
