DOWNINGTOWN — The seconds would wind down on the scoreboard. An official’s whistle, signaling the coaches’ and captains’ meeting, would echo. The Penn Manor field hockey team would remain in a corner of the field, finishing the final remarks of its pregame pep talk.
The corner of the field — sometimes the left, sometimes the right depending on the venue — was the Comets’ oasis. The moment, before four quarters of competition, when all 25 varsity players could share a singular dialogue.
No outside noise. No coach’s speak. Just the laughs, jokes and personalities that made the Penn Manor squad stick like glue.
The pregame circles, to the external environment, would appear insignificant. But to the Comets, it was the constant to 21 wins. To a Lancaster-Lebanon League title. To a District Three Class 3A crown. To a PIAA semifinal trip on Tuesday that concluded with a heart-shattering ruling.
“I just believe everyone has each other’s backs,” senior Joelle Kroesen said. “When someone does something good, we’re there to support them. When someone makes a mistake, we’re still there. That’s what this team was about.”
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook, on the third shot of a corner sequence with time expired, had a would-be equalizer deemed dangerous and waived off. A long discussion between officials upheld the ruling and Central Bucks West escaped with a 3-2 victory at Downingtown West.
The Bucks (20-4-1) will vie for state gold on Saturday at 3 p.m. opposite Emmaus, a 3-2 overtime winner against Villa Maria. The Comets, shell-shocked by the officials’ verdict, rushed to Hook’s aid as she fought back tears.
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Penn Manor is stunned after their game-tying goal was called off at the end of the game against Central Bucks West in a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Chloe Hook (13) races downfield with the ball against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) gets the ball past Central Bucks West’s Laney Hall (1) during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Alison Smith (27) takes the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) battles Central Bucks West’s Eve Damsker (21) during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Joelle Kroesen (25) fires the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Joelle Kroesen (25) knocks the ball down against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) takes off with the ball against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) takes off with the ball against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) passes the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) collides with Central Bucks West’s Margot Trask (29) during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor head coach Rachel Suter, left, questions the referee after their game-tying goal was called off against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) questions the referee after their game-tying goal was called off against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Sophia Geiter (5) moves the ball against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor is stunned after their game-tying goal was called off at the end of the game against Central Bucks West in a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Chloe Hook (13) races downfield with the ball against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) gets the ball past Central Bucks West’s Laney Hall (1) during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Alison Smith (27) takes the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) battles Central Bucks West’s Eve Damsker (21) during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Joelle Kroesen (25) fires the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Joelle Kroesen (25) knocks the ball down against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) takes off with the ball against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) takes off with the ball against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) passes the ball downfield against Central Bucks West during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Kelby Dings (23) collides with Central Bucks West’s Margot Trask (29) during first-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor head coach Rachel Suter, left, questions the referee after their game-tying goal was called off against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Morgan Hook (33) questions the referee after their game-tying goal was called off against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
Penn Manor’s Sophia Geiter (5) moves the ball against Central Bucks West during second-half action of a PIAA Class 3A field hockey semifinal game at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
“This is the furthest we’ve ever made it in my four years,” Morgan’s twin sister Chloe, said, also wiping away tears, “so there’s a lot to be proud of because we had a lot of success this season. I think we grew a lot from the beginning of the season to now.”
Penn Manor’s season started and ended with bitter struggles. The Comets opened with a 4-0 win at Boiling Springs, a program that will be gunning for the PIAA Class 1A title at 11 a.m. Saturday. CB West exercised every droplet of energy and want on Tuesday.
Coach Rachel Suter’s club was up for the assignment under the bright lights and sharp wind. Penn Manor landed the first punch with Kelby Dings flicking in a backhand late in the second quarter. Morgan Hook delivered the assist on a powerful push pass, seemingly knowing where Dings was going to maneuver to before the play developed.
“I think we’ve had a lot of confidence increase throughout the whole field,” Chloe Hook said. “I feel like we gained trust between each other to make those kinds of plays. In the middle of the season, we hit a downslope, but we were still able to come out on top. But these last few games, I felt like we were unstoppable.”
Unstoppable only tells half the story. The Comets were almost untouchable, nearly invincible. Adversity had no say in the outcome, including a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Mechanicsburg for District Three gold.
Penn Manor flashed those same nerves of steel after it stomached CB West’s response. The Bucks scored on a breakaway two minutes out of intermission. A deflect on the left post gave CB West a 2-1 lead with 11:48 to go.
Much like their pregame circle, the Comets rallied the troops with the flank closing in. Morgan Hook exposed a crack in the fortress, pumping in a 2-2 tie on a lunging shot at the 8:47 mark.
“Years before, I felt like we came a goal short or a play short of (our objective),” Chloe Hook said. “I feel like this year, we really shined through and showed what our worth actually is.”
CB West’s Lucy Smith popped for a 3-2 advantage with 2:58 remaining. As quick as Penn Manor produced its equalizer, the Bucks twisted the knife inward once more.
“I think all the off-the-field development they put in, it changed our on-the-field development,” Suter said. “They worked so well together, cohesively, to get us to this moment. Unfortunately, we fell a little short.”
Before objectiveness determined the Comets’ fate, Penn Manor gave one more ode to its 2025 pregame staple.
It wasn’t in a corner of the field or reflected in the box score, but as the seconds wound down on the scoreboard, the Comets gave their final remark. They blocked out the outside noise, didn’t hear the coach’s speak from the sideline.
They shared a singular dialogue, talking through the corner sequence. The first attempt was absorbed by the flyer’s stick; the second caught the goalie’s leg pad. The third shot, even for a blink, sent Penn Manor to its oasis.
The Comets stuck like glue in a shortened celebration. They stuck like glue as they digested the heart-shattering ruling.
“I believe every girl gave their all,” Kroesen said, sniffling from the raw emotion. “It really sucks to end the year, and I really wish we could keep going. But I’m really grateful for all these opportunities we had.”
“I feel like I can call anyone on our team my best friend,” Morgan Hook said.
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