Royal Response: Trinity Hall Dominates Fourth Quarter to Advance Past Camden Catholic
OCEANPORT — Trinity Hall has proved all season that it is not only one of the best teams in the state, but also one of the most dangerous. Locked in a tie game entering the fourth quarter, the Monarchs unleashed a nine-goal final period to defeat Camden Catholic 16-9 and punch their ticket to the Non-Public State Semifinals where they will host Kent Place.
Despite the final score, the first three quarters were a battle for the Monarchs. Looking to play spoiler, tenth-seeded Camden Catholic came to play, and the score was tied at seven heading into the fourth quarter.
After going scoreless through the first three quarters, sophomore attacker Sarina DeRosa scored the first of her three fourth-quarter goals to put Trinity Hall ahead 8-7 just 43 seconds into the final frame. However, the Irish continued to fight and tied the game less than a minute later.
With the score tied at 8-8 in the biggest moment of the Monarchs’ season, star junior Chiara Donohue rose to the occasion. Donohue beat the goalie on a drive to put Trinity Hall back in front, and then the onslaught began. She added three more goals in the quarter as the Monarchs pulled away and never looked back.
Donohue finished with seven goals, increasing her season total to 129.
Trinity Hall’s Chiara Donohue (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)
Donohue has left everyone at a loss for words with her performance this season, including at times her own coach.
“Chiara isn’t just confident; she has the talent to back it up,” said Dana Lenneper. ” Having a player like her raises everyone else up”.
Another player who rose to the occasion was DeRosa. The sophomore took over the fourth quarter, scoring a hat trick to help fuel the Monarchs’ decisive run.
DeRosa is one of the most improved players in the Shore Conference. After posting 20 points as a freshman, she has more than quadrupled that total, tallying 82 points. While she may at times be overshadowed by the star power around her, she is a major reason why Trinity Hall has enjoyed such a successful season.
Trinity Hall’s Sarina DeRosa (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)
“I push Sarina really hard especially for a sophomore because I know how high her ceiling is” said Lenneper. “This year she rose her floor to meet that ceiling”.
DeRosa, who played a key role in sending Trinity Hall to the semifinals, had no interest in seeing her season come to an end.
“We realized that this could be our last game, and none of us wanted it to be,” said DeRosa. “I knew my team needed me to score, so I tried to score”.
Georgie Avrillon also played an important role in the Monarchs’ victory. The junior defender is another player who often flies under the radar, but she continues to make her presence felt on the field. Avrillon finished with two ground balls and two forced turnovers while helping execute double teams that led to several Camden Catholic turnovers.
“We have one of the best defenses in the state,” said Avrillon. “We know that when we lock in, we can get any ground ball we put our minds to.”
Trinity Hall’s Georgie Avrillon defends against Camden Catholic (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)
Avrillon’s willingness to do whatever is necessary to help the team win does not go unnoticed by her coach.
“Georgie is one of our better defenders”, said Lenneper. “She does all the things that aren’t stats but deserve to be.”
Sophomore midfielder Lyla Lu is another Monarch whose contributions can sometimes be overlooked. The sophomore may be the fastest player in the conference, and her speed creates matchup problems for opposing defenses. She finished with two goals and two assists.
“Lyla is one of the best players on the field for any team as soon as she steps on it,” said Lenneper. “She’s the fastest kid on the field; I haven’t seen anyone faster”.
Trinity Hall’s Lyla Lu (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)
Then there is Sands Webber. The senior, who is playing in the final stretch of her high school career, may have put together one of the finest performances of her career. Webber finished with a goal and an assist, but her impact went beyond the stat sheet. She consistently found herself in the right place at the right time, helping extend possessions and making smart, veteran plays during the game’s closing moments.
Trinity Hall’s Sands Webber defends against Camden Catholic (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)
After missing much of last season with an injury, Webber has returned to provide a steady veteran presence for the Monarchs.
“This was one of the best games I’ve seen Sands play,” said Lenneper. “She did not want this to be her last game.”
The good news for Webber and the rest of the Monarchs is that Tuesday was not their final game. Trinity Hall (19-3) has earned the right to play at least one more contest, a state semifinal matchup against Kent Place (17-2) on Friday.
One of the driving forces behind the Monarchs’ success this season has been the motivation created by past losses. That experience has fueled their determination throughout this postseason run.
“We know how awful it feels to lose, so we are going to give it 110 percent,” said Lu.
“This is the best season we have had as a team,” added Avrillon. “We want to finish strong”.
