On Saturday, the Northampton and Freedom field hockey teams met not only to play their EPC contest, but to raise awareness for Morgan’s Message, an organization that aims to strengthen the mental health high school and collegiate athletes.

Once the solemn pregame ceremony ended, the teams got down to the business of the game and the K-Kids came away with a 3-1 win that was never really in doubt.

Brooke Saul scored Northampton’s first goal 5:41 into the first quarter after pulling the trigger on the insertion pass on a penalty corner. The goal was assisted by Grace Roberts. Saul described the technique she uses to start the K-Kids’ corners, “On the insertion, what I do is get really low. I like almost kneel to the ground and pass it as hard as I can. You can’t get underneath the ball because then it lifts off your stick. You have to keep your stick on a downward curve and push it out.”

Northampton notched their second goal with 1:10 left in the first period. Another penalty corner created the opportunity and this time Roberts was the goal scorer. Ella Steirer was credited with the assist.

The importance of converting penalty corners was again in evidence as Kendall Iasiello used another assist by Steirer to knock home the Kids’ final goal of the after at 4:10 before halftime.

Northampton substituted liberally during the second half. Freedom’s goal came with 52 seconds left in the game. The K-Kids had held the Patriots without a shot on goal over the first three quarters.

The win against Freedom and the team’s 2-0 victory over East Stroudsburg South on Monday puts them at 9-2 for the season and makes them the first field hockey team in District XI to officially clinch a postseason bid.

Head coach Carrie Saul assessed her team’s standing starting the back half of the season, “I am very pleased where we are right now. We need to clean up a few things – that way we’re firing on all cylinders coming into the most important hockey stretch of the season. You don’t want to go into the postseason as a true 5 (seed), knowing you lost to the top four. You definitely want to be able to steal a game against one of them.”

Easton, Nazareth, and Parkland in some order are considered to be the next tier down from Emmaus and their 34 consecutive district titles. The K-Kids play them back-to-back-to-back over a 10-day stretch. Northampton hosts Nazareth on Tuesday and Parkland the following Friday. Wednesday’s game at Easton occurred too late for Press deadlines.