Downingtown West 6 Avon Grove 4

Ava Thomas scored four goals and assisted on another as Downingtown West downed Avon Grove 6-4 Monday night in the 15^th edition of the girls’ Flyers Cup championship game at PNY Arena.

The second-seeded Whippets become the first girls’ team since 2019 to successfully defend a Flyers Cup title when Unionville won the last of five straight.

It’s the second Cup title for the Whippets, who also claimed it in 2021.

Thomas, a junior, and a member of the U.S. Women’s U18 National Team, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the third time in her career. She also led the tournament in scoring with six goals and four assists in two games.

Thomas and Maddison Vitali scored goals to give the Whippets a 2-0 lead at the 7:21 mark of the first period.

Lilly Schindler and Skylar Greene answered for top-seeded Avon Grove before the period ended.

Thomas gave her team the lead for good 3:49 into the second period and then added a shorthanded effort at 11:25 before Choloe Bogusch made it a 5-2 game with 2:23 left in the period.

Emmy Sullivan drew the Red Devils closer 2:31 into the the third period. Avon Grove had a chance to make it a one-goal game with 8:13 left but the apparent goal was disallowed due to a penalty.

Thomas scored her fourth goal of the game with 3:48 remaining before Avon Grove’s Kiera Post completed the scoring with 2:11 left in the game.

Downingtown West 2 3 1—6

Avon Grove 2 0 2—4

First-period goals: Ava Thomas (DW) from Riley Sagers, 4:14; Maddison Vitali (DW) from Thomas and Grace Goodman, 7:21; Lily Schindler (AG) unassisted, 8:13; Skylar Greene (AG) from Maggie Sullivan and Emmy Sullivan, 9:38

Second-period goals: Thomas (DW) from Vitali, 3:49; Thomas (DW), 11:25 (sh); Choloe Bogusch (DW) unassisted, 13:37

Third-period goals: Emmy Sullivan (AG) unassisted, 2:31; Thomas (DW) from Sagirls 12:16; Kiera Post (AG) from Molly Tursi 13:49

Shots: Downingtown West 30, Avon Grove 28; Saves: Violet Clarke (DW) 24, Ella Hydutsky (AG) 24.

This story will be updated

Flyers Cup Girls Finals

Monday, 3-18

Avon Grove vs. Downingtown West 7:00 at PNY Arena

Avon Grove (19-1)—The Lady Red Devils are seeking their first Flyers Cup title. Skylar Campanile leads the team in scoring with 34 goals and 29 assists for 63 points. Skylar Green has collected 17 goals and 29 assists. for 46 points.

The Red Devils shut out Conestoga 10-0 in the semifinals. Lilly Schindler scored three goals and added four assists. Campanile scored two goals and added four assists.

Downingtown West (5-11)—The Whippets are trying to become the first girls’ team since 2019 to successfully defend a Flyers Cup championship. They also won the title in 2021. Ava Thomas has played in just nine high-school games this season while representing the U.S. as a member of the U-18 national team but has amassed 23 goals and eight assists for 31 points. She’s a two-time Flyers Cup MVP.

The Whippets bested West Chester Henderson 6-5 in the semifinals. Thomas scored two goal and added three assists. Kyla Mellinger provided four assists.

This marks the 15th time the Flyers Cup tournament has crowned a girls’ champion. The girls’ tournament was first contested in 2009. The tournament was not completed in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Unionville has won the most titles with nine.

Flyers Cup Girls Semifinals

Downingtown West 6 West Chester Henderson 5

Ava Thomas scored two goals and four other players added one goal each as the defending-champion Whippets bested the Warriors Wednesday night at PNY Arena.

Sarah Goodman, Lila Zelesnick, Chloe Bogusch, and Brianna Hinkle all scored for Downingtown West.

Charlotte Perrin, Paige Meutterties, Eva Doyle, Vanenessa Gill, and Megan Wackerman all scored for the Warriors.

Hendersron 1 2 2—5

Downingtown West 3 2 1—6

Avon Grove 10 Conestoga 0

Lily Schindler scored three goals and added four assists for the top-seeded Red Devils Wednesday night at PNY Arena. Skyler Campanile added two goals and four assists.

Maggie Sullivan, Ellie Crawford, Brianna Register, Emmy Sullivan, and Skylar Greene all scored single goals.

Ella Hyduysky earned the shutout on goal.

The game was called with 5:29 remaiing on the third period.

Conestoga 0 0 0—0

Avon Grove 5 2 3—10

The championship game is set for Monday night at PNY Arena with a 6:00 start.