EXETER – Hannah Picott started the offensive party early in Pembroke’s match against John Stark.
The senior forward sprinted up the right side of the field and received a pass from Bailey Gatchell, who was in the middle of the pitch. It quickly became a two-on-one scenario between the Spartans’ forwards and the lone defender for the Generals.
Without hesitation, Picott fired off the shot and watched it cross from right to left and fall gracefully into the back of the net.
The Spartans’ bench began to erupt with cheers, the players on the field huddled in for a hug and goalkeeper Brooke Davison gave a punch in the air.
It came just 47 seconds into the match and was the offensive masterpiece in Pembroke’s 6-0 win over John Stark in a Division II semifinal at Bill Ball Stadium on Thursday night.
Picott’s goal was just the beginning of what turned out to be an offensive showcase for No. 1 Pembroke. Senior forward Cierra Hill scored the Spartans’ second goal from point-blank range as she managed to poke the ball through a few defenders and Generals goalie Ruby Dykstra.
Hill scored another goal a few minutes afterward and further cemented the lead for undefeated Pembroke.
The second half featured more of the same, with another three goals. Although it took a bit longer than 47 seconds, when the goals were scored they were scored in abundance.
Gatchell netted two goals, the first in the 55th minute and the second near the 70th. Her second goal was on a breakaway opportunity, and she beat out Dykstra to net the Spartans’ fifth tally of the night.
Senior defender Adrienne Dorr scored the sixth and final goal for Pembroke a few minutes later and certified its entrance into the final round of the tournament.
“This game exceeded our expectations,” Pembroke coach Jess Kaufman-Desrochers said. “For our girls to come out and score in the first 47 seconds, just amazing.”
That offensive dominance has been the case for Pembroke all season long. In the regular season, it won its games by an average of 4.3 goals per game, and in the postseason it has outscored opponents, 10-1.
The Generals, who made it to the semifinals with wins against Kennett and Milford in the first two rounds of the tournaments, were unable to generate any offensive flow until late the game.
John Stark (12-5-1) now heads into the offseason with 2022 on its mind, and Pembroke prepares for its first state championship appearance since 2013.
The Spartans will face off against Bow in a highly anticipated rematch. They defeated the Falcons, 3-2, on Oct. 15 to give the Falcons their only loss of the regular season.
Sunday’s championship match will take place at Bill Ball Stadium with a 1 p.m. start.