As the scoreless game headed toward the end of regulation with the potential of two draining 10-minute overtime periods, DeGeorge took matters into her own hands, or should we say more accurately, her left foot.

Taking a pass from freshman Mia Casey, DeGeorge took a few dribbles and from about 22-yards out, hit a left footed blast inside the near post to break the tie in Archbishop Wood’s 1-0 win.

Only 38 seconds remained in the game. The Vikings could finally exhale.

It should be noted that DeGeorge is rightfooted, but that was difficult to tell by her opposite-foot blast.

For a player who is as skilled as anybody in the Catholic League, this was just another of chapter her sensational career.

“The ball was bouncing and Mia Casey dropped a great ball back to me and I took a touch and aimed from the bottom right corner and it went there,” DeGeorge said.

Of course it went there, a clutch play by one of the top players in the state.

“It was a really big relief because nobody wants to go to overtime,” she said.

Last year DeGeorge was a major contributor on a Wood team that would win the Catholic League championship.

The difference this year is that the Vikings have a much younger team. Against Lansdale Catholic, as many as four freshmen were on the field. Last season was a senior laden squad.

“Last year we played probably a little more possession,” Ava DeGeorge said. “This year I kind of feel like I need to take a little more leadership, especially because I’m older and we’re really young this year.”

As the score suggests, the defenses of both teams were outstanding. Leading the Wood D was center back Daryn Savage, a Bloomsburg commit.

“It was very intense, Lansdale had high energy, I just feel like we were there but they kept pressing and it was hard to get up offensively,” Savage said.

Lansdale Catholic’s D was led by center back Olivia Boccella, who also hit the cross bar on a long free kick late in the second half.

Coach Bree Benedict knew that her Lansdale Catholic team gave everything it had for 80 exhausting minutes.

“You are obviously disappointed on the day with what the result was, but as far as what my team did and how we competed and the opportunities that we created, I’m pretty happy,” Benedict said.

Wood coach Tom DeGeorge, the father of Ava, says he has a lot of offensive options on this young team. Yet with all the offensive threats, when a big play is needed the Vikings know who to look for.

“We have a lot of kids who can put the ball in the back of the net, but you’re always looking at Ava to score goals,” Tom DeGeorge said. “And I think this year she feels like she needs to take that on, where last year we had a lot of seniors able to do that, but we are getting a lot of goal from all over the place.”

That is true, but in this game, the biggest of the season so far, the Vikings received their winning play from an old reliable source.

Despite the loss, the Lions played one of the top teams in the area to a close game and this could benefit the young team in the future.

“It was really a team effort,” O’Hara coach Dave Cornish said. “The back four played really well, marshaled by Maddie Ellis. The midfield of Ali Smith and Meg McClain worked tirelessly to prevent the LC midfield from getting going.”

The aforementioned Olivia Boccella scored the game-winner for Lansdale Catholic.

On Thursday, the strong defense for Cardinal O’Hara continued during a 0-0 double overtime draw against visiting Archbishop Carroll.

“I have a good team and they played well today,” Little Flower coach Markko Spittaoulis said. “Our defense kept the ball away from them and we attacked together as a team.”

Sophomore center midfielder Hayden Johnston had a hat trick. Bella Torres and Rylee Sundermeier were the other goal scorers.

Both Torres and Johnston also hit the cross bar.

This came one game after St. Hubert had one of its better performances of the year in a 2-0 victory over Archbishop Ryan.

Two impressive freshmen, Luca D’Andrea and Alyssa Browning were the goal scorers for St. Hubert.