It may be a bit of a cliché, but truth be told, to the victors belong the spoils.

Indeed that was the case on a deary, damp fall Saturday afternoon, when Pennsylvania’s most prestigious high school field hockey program, Emmaus dug deeply and often to come up with gold.

Hoist the trophy, once more and salute your state champions.

For the 16th time in this storied program, the Green Hornets emerged victoriously, downing a feisty, fidgety Central Bucks West team, 3-2 Cumberland Valley High School’s Chapman Field in the PIAA Class 3A title game to capture their second championship in three seasons.

There was adversity for the Hornets, especially in the wanning minutes when they lost one of their elite players Gracie Huffer to the “naughty chair,” as their highly successful legendary coach Sue Butz-Stavin calls it, for five full minutes when she was penalized at the 5:33 mark of the final quarter.

Huffer, a junior, got flagged with a green card, but not before sending her team in front 3-2, breath a sigh of relief after the final Klaxon sounded, sending hysteria and bedlam throughout the team, its adoring fans and the coaching staff.

Huffer described it perfectly, afterward

“They did a great job possessing the ball and not letting them get any attacking opportunities,” she said of her team’s play in the final moments.

Her teammates needed to protect the box, every which way possible. Whether it was controlling the ball on offense, or flexing its defensive prowess.

“We just switch up the formation,” Sue Butz-Stavin said. “We still want to keep our strength defensively. We just drop a forward. It’s a matter of your defense has to stand tall when one of your teammates is in the naughty chair.”

The once beaten Hornets (27-1) floored the Bucks for the third and final time when Huffer banged home the go-ahead goal with 10:43 in the third quarter to send the District 11 champions on top for keeps.

It just wasn’t only the play of Huffer, but a squad that turned to its sensational junior goalkeeper Emily Romano, and at times Madi Lenig and Sadie Nawarynski. The squad also found Sarah Palazzo in the mix, and Rylie Povilaitis, the hero in the win over Villa Maria on Wednesday evening, that vaulted her team to the state championship game.

Toss in the standout play of Ella Horner and Marissa Gigliotti, both of whom scored goals to fend off the Bucks after they had taken the first lead of the game at the 9:39 mark of the first quarter. CB West’s Ierubino lifted her team in front 1-0.

Then in a jiffy Horner had an answer, swiftly tying the game 1-1 with the clock showing 4:23.

Then came Gigliotti slapping home the second score for her team, giving the Hornets the lead with 2:57 to play in the first half. That went by the wayside when the Bucks, who were seeking their first gold medal since 1981, countered to tie the game from their sensational senior forward/middle Ierubino. That goal came with plenty of time to go at the 13:14 mark of the third quarter.

Surely, time was on the side of the Hornets. They’ve been there and done it in the past.

They never panicked, and their defense rose time and again. And smack in the middle of that defense was senior backer Morgann Orobono. She made a tremendous save to thwart an early attack by the Bucks, even when the District 1 runner up had taken the early lead.

“No, I wasn’t frustrated,” Orobono said when asked if she and her teammates got frustrated with the first goal and the tying score. “It makes it more fun for us.”

Nerve wracking, too.

“Yeah, there’s nerves out there, but we have to trust what we know,” Huffer said how the team had to stay focused when the opposition had an early lead, or when it was a 2-2 deadlock.

That nervousness wasn’t lost on the coach either.

“Yes, as always,” quipped Butz-Stavin. “It’s part of the competitiveness and spirit of the game.”

That surfaced with 5:30 to play when Huffer picked up the card.

Huffer went bye-bye to Butz-Stavin’s naughty chair. For sure, these soon-to-be gold medalists have been grilled, time and again at practice; mental toughness if you will.

“We condition every day in the summer, and throughout the season,” Huffer explained.

Huffer and her coach knew it would be a battle to the nth degree. It showed late in the game.

“The girls were saying, ’23 (Ierubino) was gassed out there she said she needed a break’.”

Not the Green Hornets.

Victory was eminent, for sure even though they were shorthanded. The mindset was rising with momentum and finally as the clock showed 0:00 the celebration ensued.

Finally, the spoils were found draping in gold medals, the ultimate prize for these 2025 state champions.

Not lost in the game plan, found in seniors Addison Povilaitis (middle) Sharlise Solano (middle) and backer Avery Burnett. It takes team work.

“You have to be nervous … kids are kids, they don’t always play a perfect game.” Emmaus coach Butz-Stavin.

“We just drop a forward. It’s a matter of your defense has to stand tall when one of your teammates is in the naughty chair.” Butz-Stavin on the shorthanded strategy.

Addison Povilaitis had one assist in the state title game, while Lenig had two and Palazzo had one.

Emmaus had four penalty corners. The Bucks had two.

Emmaus had 14 shots, 9 of which were on goal. CB West recorded 10 shots, 8 on goal.

Emmaus made six saves while CBW keeper Kendra Pitts had 7.