November 22, 2022 - Story and photos by Joshua Ross
It was quite a week for Hingham girls soccer. The final two matches of the Division 1 State Tournament against two top teams. The Harborwomen would have never made the finals if not for the heroic performance of their senior goaltender. This and her shutout in the finals has earned Ella Stadtlander Athlete of the Week presented by College Hype.
In Tuesday's game versus third seed Bishop Feehan, Ella, literally and figuratively, single-handedly kept their title dreams alive. Late in the second overtime, Ella dove to her right and just got her right hand out and save what would have been the game winning goal for Bishop Feehan. Then she went out to make a huge save in penalty kicks and intimidated two players to shoot wide. She capped off her week by making the saves she needed in the championship game, recording another shutout to help her team capture the title.
"She consistently does her job so well that she often goes unnoticed and is not recognized for her extraordinary efforts," says head coach Mary-Frances Monroe. "Ella had, without question, one of the most important jobs on the team and never once did she let us down. Her save in the semi-final game was legendary. She helped lead this team to 14 shutouts and a goal against average of .35, which is incredible. I am so proud of her efforts her senior year and no one deserves the team's Unsung Hero Award more."
Senior captain Caroline Schiffmann plays in front of Ella on the back line and see upclose how important she is to this team.
"Ella is without a doubt the reason we won the state championship," Schiffmann tells the Anchor. "All season long she has been a consistent and amazing goalie, but during playoffs she elevated to a new level and made several game changing saves. Her save against Bishop Feehan in double overtime was absolutely incredible, and it sent us into the finals. She also performed amazing during PKs, making clutch saves left and right. Ella has stepped up this season as a strong and hard working player that has been absolutely crucial to our success. Knowing we have Ella behind us on defense is extremely comforting and she has proven herself as an incredibly talented player. I think Ella is so beyond deserving of the Player of the Week, and my teammates and I couldn’t be more lucky to have Ella as an amazing keeper and friend all season long."
Congratulations Ella on an unforgettable week!
