PENNSYLVANIA LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER | DAVID-NICHOLAS

Yes, PK’s aren’t supposed to decide a championship match — at least that’s the spirit of the rulebook in most states when no definitive winner can be declared after 2 overtime periods in a championship match. However, when a Penalty Kick opportunity is awarded by an official during regulation play in a state final, then any and all remaining clock-time becomes ever-so-critical. And that’s exactly what happened during last Friday’s PIAA Class AAA Spring 2008 Soccer Championship Match when the Central Dauphin Rams were awarded a PK by one of the officials who interpreted events a bit differently than most players and soccer fans in the stadium.

Aside from the ensuing PK point (occurring with 20:20 left in the 2nd period of regulation play), neither team was able to score any other goals during regulation time — resulting in the Ram’s 1-0 victory over the Lady Bucks. Our 6-minute slideshow of still images attempts to capture much of the intensity that made last Friday evening’s rematch between Central Bucks West and Central Dauphin a “near-repeat” of last year’s double-overtime, scoreless championship match.

Congratulations to both teams for giving soccer fans a glimpse at some truly championship-class soccer, and extra-special congratulations go out to the Lady Bucks for representing our “corner of the world” with such skill, determination and professionalism in the state tournament!

Tuesday’s PIAA Class AAA semi-final soccer match at Exeter High School’s Don Thomas Stadium pitted the Lady Bucks of CB West against the Falcons of Lower Dauphin. And although low-scoring games and nail-biting, overtime decisions have become increasingly common in tournament matches, predicting the overtime winner is quite often anything but predictable — even when one team’s offensive performance may have otherwise dominated their opponent in regulation play.

Such was the case Tuesday night, when the Falcon’s offense clearly took control in the game’s second half. But despite the intensity of the Falcon’s offense, the Lady Buck’s defense was amazingly RELENTLESS — sometimes miraculously so — depriving the Falcons of what could have been several “sure-fire”, game-winning opportunities against most opponents.

And just as it seemed the game would head into a 2nd overtime period, the Lady Bucks converted a corner kick opportunity into a semi-final 1-0 victory with 1:08 remaining on the clock. Perfect timing… and truly amazing!!! Next stop… Hershey, PA where the Lady Bucks will take on Central Dauphin for this year’s PIAA Class AAA 2008 Spring Soccer championship title. Best wishes to the Lady Bucks!!!

We hope the Lady Bucks, along with their families, friends and fans will enjoy these photo highlights — along with a special treat: one of our multi-media photo slide-shows, containing 134 individually mastered images to help re-live a truly exciting evening capped off with a terrific victory!

And to view our 3-minute multi-media slide-show, please be sure to turn up the volume on your PC and enjoy!!!