By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
PITMAN — In 2023, Madison Peek’s first goal came in her ninth game of the season.
This year, the Pitman senior didn’t waste any time making her presence known.
Peek scored two goals, including the Panthers’ first of the season within the first two minutes of the game, as Pitman cruised to a 6-0 season-opening victory over Wildwood at Alcyon Lake Park on Friday evening.
“It’s a great way to start (the season),” she said. “I think we’re going to see this energy all throughout the season based on our start.”
It couldn’t have been a more picture-perfect start for the Panthers (1-0, 1-0 Tri-County Classic), who had a rough ending to last season, losing to Maple Shade in a 4-3 penalty kick shootout in the South Jersey Group 1 quarterfinal.
Despite having a winning record and playoff appearances each of the last three seasons, the Panthers were winless in season-openers over that time frame. Now, they finally got the strong start they wanted and hope to ride the wave of momentum throughout the rest of the campaign.
“They came out in the beginning of the game the way we’ve been wanting them to come out with the energy and the fire, and they did it,” Panthers coach Carrie Schwank said. “They looked really good out there. The ball movement was really good. The shot selection was really good.”
Peek was in the right place at the right time for her second goal late in the first half, as an attempted shot by Carly Razze ricocheted off the Wildwood keeper and right to Peek for an easy score.
Said coach Schwank: “No matter what, you crash the goal. No matter what. And (Maddy) was ‘crash central’ today. She crashed everything. It paid off.”
She wasn’t the only one to flash her skills, though. Versatile junior Audrey Duffield did what she does best — perform all over the field.
“She can do anything,” Schwank said. “She’s out on the wings, she can possess the ball, she can protect the ball. She’s interchangeable. She can play anywhere.”
Duffield primarily plays defense, where she’s a pivotal piece as a stopper, but can just as easily tally goals whenever needed.
The underclassman talent doesn’t stop there. Emery Sharpnack, Lexi Kostiuk, and Teagan Canna each recorded a goal in the victory. Sharpnack was one of the region’s top rookies last year.
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Pitman has high expectations as arguably the favorite in South Jersey Group 1 this season, but for coach Schwank, it’s just as important to just have some fun.
“It’s a great honor, but then it comes with some pressure,” Schwank said. “We’re taking it game by game. We want to have fun, still, when we’re playing, and not feel that pressure. That’s what they showed today, and we just had a lot of fun.”
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One thing’s for certain: talent, depth, and most importantly — heart — will take the Panthers a long way, sprinkled with a little bit of fun.
Contact Brian Tortella: btortreportssj@gmail.com.
