Pestered by timing issues that hindered its effectiveness throughout, Mechanicsburg watched a terrific season come to an end in the second of three District 3-AAA quarterfinals Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium.
An early Marshall Good finish and two saves from Brian Gately did the trick, as Hempfield bounced the Wildcats by a 1-0 count.
Stuck in a 1-0 hole after a turnover led to Good’s 30-yard blast with 9:14 gone, Tony Lougee’s Wildcats (18-5) never could find an equalizer.
And while the effort was typical Mechanicsburg all-out, a lack of cohesiveness seemed to have Lougee’s club off a tick or two for much of the 80-minute exercise and left the 'Cats puzzled by their ineffectiveness.
“The whole first half we were just out of it,” said Lougee, whose Wildcats finished the season by playing seven games in 13 days, including five postseason encounters.
“I don’t know if it was nerves or if we were still in recovery phase, but we never really ... there was just nothing to it. Against a team like Hempfield, to let up a goal you know what they're looking to do.
"They're looking to be behind the ball, be organized and counter like that, but just to not have sort of the punch we're used to ... I don't know," Lougee added. "Maybe nerves, but I think really the guys just ... it was really a Herculean effort the last 10 days.
"That's asking a ton of them and we just had a hard time getting the motor started."
Although Joseph Panuccio had a really good look midway through the second half when a ball down the left flank put him in, but Gately had terrific position and bumped the ball away. While the Wildcats were able to manufacture several subsequent chances, nothing was put on goal.
Dean Patton and Zach Sherman were able to generate some danger, but both watched their efforts go wide. Sherman actually scored with 7:46 to go, but he used his hand to swat in a Ryan Wolf cross and that's a no-no.
"The guys just kept battling up to the very end, but I think we're spent," Lougee said. "That's all you can ask."
Up next for No. 12 Hempfield (14-7-1) -- which sidelined Cedar Cliff 1-0 in Tuesday's round of 16 -- is a date with top-seeded Wilson in Tuesday's semis at Hersheypark Stadium. Wilson advanced by beating Ephrata 4-0.