Lady Wildcats Secure Senior Night Victory Over Shamokin
MILL HALL – The Central Mountain girls soccer team celebrated Senior Night in style, earning a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Shamokin Lady Indians. Seniors Jaslyn Anderson and Archie Walker, both instrumental leaders on the team, helped guide the Lady Wildcats to their second conference win of the season. With this victory, Central Mountain moves up to 7th place in the standings with a 2-5 record, marking the first time since 2016 that the team has recorded two conference wins in a season.
The game began with intensity, as junior Kendall Veltri played a perfect ball into space for senior Jaslyn Anderson, who finished confidently past the Shamokin goalkeeper just 50 seconds into the match. The Lady Wildcats held their 1-0 lead through the first half, even surviving a chaotic moment in front of their own goal just before halftime. A referee’s decision led to a pass-back call against Central Mountain, giving Shamokin a chance to score from six yards out, but the Wildcats managed to run down the clock and escape without conceding.
Sophomore goalkeeper Cora Seyler was key throughout the game, making several crucial saves. Shamokin eventually leveled the match early in the second half with a free kick from striking distance that sailed just beyond Seyler’s reach, making it 1-1 with 31:29 remaining. The game became more physical as both teams pushed for the lead.
The Lady Wildcats broke the deadlock once again, with Anderson completing her brace — her first of the season — after a sequence of plays that started in the midfield. Kendall Veltri sent a well-placed pass to sophomore Leah Karstetter, who created opportunities but was denied twice. Freshman Ashlyn Zener then had a chance that was deflected, and Anderson capitalized on the loose ball to put Central Mountain ahead with 23:53 left on the clock.
Strong defensive work by senior Archie Walker and sophomore Cayman Hill, along with the tireless efforts of sophomores Camry McCann, Eva Mitchell, and Leah Ferrar on the flanks, kept Shamokin from mounting any further serious threats. Freshman Autumn Sneath covered the field from end to end, contributing to the team’s strong performance.
The Lady Wildcats now have something to be proud of in what has been a challenging season, showing courage and growth with each game. As Coach Ryan Veltri noted, “Leadership was on display tonight, and in the end, a chance for the Lady Wildcats to smile and laugh!”
The win gives Central Mountain a much-needed boost as they continue to climb the standings and look forward to their remaining games.
