By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
HADDONFIELD — Emma McCarthy recorded her third hat trick and fifth multi-goal game of the season as top-seeded Paul VI rolled to a 6-0 shutout Monday afternoon over ninth-seeded Washington Township in the quarterfinal round of the South Jersey Coaches Association Tournament.
Undefeated Paul VI (18-0, 6-0 Olympic National) host conference foe Cherokee (13-4-1) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday’s title game in Cherry Hill.
“We came out really hot and we had a lot of energy going into tonight,” said McCarthy, a senior University of North Carolina commit for lacrosse. “We scored in the first five minutes, and that’s kind of our M.O. We want to come out here and set the tone from the beginning, and we did just that. That’s when we play our best, when we come and get a quick start. Doing that tonight was more than we could have ever asked for.”
Eleanor Lawyer, Hunter Kintzing and Daniela Vogel also netted goals for the defending Non-Public A state champion Eagles, who recently clinched the top seed in the upcoming NPA-South state tournament bracket.
“It’s really a blessing to have had her for four years and have the ability to coach and be a part of her journey,” Coach Karen Anderson said of McCarthy. “It’s an honor for me. You don’t get many players like that in your lifetime as a coach.”
McCarthy currently has a team-leading 17 goals heading into the matchup against Cherokee. Paul VI defeated Cherokee 4-2 when they met back on Oct. 15, and if the Eagles prevail in the rematch, they’ll take on either Shawnee or Cinnaminson for the championship on Saturday.
“We’re excited for this time of the year. This is one of our favorite times,” Anderson said. “The playoffs, the postseason — we love tournament time. Our girls love to compete. Being in situations like this is what they live for. They’re ballers, they’re gamers.”
The non-public playoffs are slated to start Monday, Nov. 3. And the road to a sectional title will go through the Eagles.
“Our thing this year is we just have to play how we know we can play,” McCarthy said. “We don’t really worry about who we’re lining up against. We know how we are as a team and a unit. We have to play to our strengths and play together.”
