Raiders reloading
Every year is different — and not always positive.
Longtime Seneca Valley girls soccer coach Dave Sylvester has lived that and wants to make sure his current Raiders don't do the same.
Seneca Valley returns a bevy of starters from a team that finished 20-3-1 a year ago, won the WPIAL Class AAA title and lost in the state semifinals.
Among the returnees is 2013 Butler Eagle Girls Soccer Player of the Year Jess Neill, Now a senior, the Raiders' goalkeeper posted 12 shutouts last season and had a run of 522 consecutive postseason minutes without allowing a goal.
“We won the WPIAL title in 2009 and didn't make the playoffs the next season,” Sylvester, entering his 14th year at the helm, said. “That's the only year we didn't reach the playoffs since I've been coaching.
“There are no guarantees. Last year was last year. Now we need to take the approach that we're starting over.”
Sylvester has won three WPIAL titles with the Raiders — 2007, 2009 and 2013 — and reached the title game in 2012. His overall career record is 191-52-25, including 121-23-14 in section play.
Here is a look at Butler County area girls soccer for the coming season:
Coach: Steve Perri, third yearLast Year: 8-7-2, 5-6-1 in sectionKey Losses: Macy Stalnaker (West Virginia), Rachel Weyand (PSU-Behrend)Key Returnees: Sr. Mackenzie Troyan (goalkeeper),Soph. Skyler Dennison (center-back), Jr. Chloe Bowser (center midfielder), Jr,. Haley Michel (center midfield), Soph. Hannah Hays (forward)Perri says: “The center of the field is our strength and this is a deeper team than last year. Macy scored 16 goals last year and Rachel netted six, so replacing that production is a concern. We'll need a lot of girls to chip in a few goals, but I expect us to be in the mix for a playoff spot. We need to get there.”
Coach: Jonathan Miller, first yearLast Year: No girls team (school had coed squad)Key Losses: NoneKey Returnees: Jr. Shannon Drew (midfield), Soph. Rachel Donlan (goalkeeper), Soph. Nina Zuccaro (defender), Sr. Mae Haggerty (midfield)Miller says: “We're hoping to make the playoffs in our initial season. We'll be starting seven freshmen, but we've got 11 Cup players on our roster, so the talent is here. We want to establish a standard of excellence right away.”
Coach: Brittni Grenninger, first yearLast Year: 10-8-1, 9-4-1, lost in first round of WPIAL playoffsKey Losses: Eric Jack, Dava Jack, Stephanie ScheestelKey Returnees: Sr. Megan Manke (forward), Sr, Natalie Martin (midfield), Sr. Lauren Arnold (defender), Jr. Raine Carney (goalkeeper), Soph. Cassie Suran (goalkeeper), Jr. Victoria Delk (midfield), Jr. Katlyn Biondo (defender), Soph. Kimmy Mixon (back), Soph. Tam Lindsay (midfield), Soph. Olivia Gasperic (midfield)Grenninger says: “This is much better than a 10-8 team. No one's really pushed this team before to realize their true potential. Anything fewer than 14 wins this year should be a disappointment.”
Coach: Les Smith, second yearLast Year: 13-3-1Key Losses: Kali Davis, Olivia AndrewsKey Returnees: Sr. Julie Distasi (forward, 20 goals, 8 assists), Sr. Kristen Bishop (defender), Soph. Abby Fulkerson (goalkeeper), Sr. Rachel Schmidt (defender)Smith says: “We're expecting good things this season. Freshmen Ashley McNabb (defense) and Camryn Skibinski (forward) should help us and we have other younger players ready to step in and help our seniors. We have a good foundation to build upon.”
Coach: Tracy Dailey, first yearLast Year: 21-1, District 9 championsKey Losses: Breann Wood (Carlow), Emily Schumacher, Morgan Deal, Emily Jones, Catarina LoprestiKey Returnees: Sr. Emily Lopresti (forward, 45 goals, 29 assists), Sr. LeErin Jones (goalkeeper/midfield), Sr. Brittany Coyle (defender), Jr. Brianna Brusamonti (midfield), Jr. Aubrie Ball (midfield), Soph. Megan McCartney (midfield, 19 goals, 21 assists), Jr. Abby Wolfe (midfield), Soph. Collette Stahlman (midfield), Jr. Taylor Downs (defendfer), Jr. Andrea Shay (defender)Dailey says: “I'm a 1997 graduate of Karns City and played soccer there myself. Our 1996 team reached the state semifinals and I'd love to coach a team back to that point or beyond. We only have three seniors, so we're young, but we believe we can win the district championship again and advance in the state playoffs. Taylor Eckes is a freshman defender who will help us.”
Coach: Rich Kenzie, third yearLast Year: 12-6-1, 10-3-1 in section, lost in first round of WPIAL playoffsKey Losses: Olivia Sharbaugh (Gannon), Abby Gore (Westminster), Gabi Lassinger (Lafayette)Key Returnees: Sr. Sami Bartek (defender), Sr. Saige Robertson (defender), Jr. forward Kaelyn Oskin (forward, 9 goals), Jr. Marley Gordon (forward, 7 goals), Sr. Aly Hutterer (defender), Soph. Ali Gore (midfielder), Soph. Lauren Betts (midfielder), Soph. Olivia CritchlowKenzie says: “Our senior defenders are very experienced and we'll have a freshman goalkeeper this year in Becca Stockert. We'll play a more traditional 4-4-2 in front of her. We've got six or seven Cup players on our team and another freshman, Jenna Stallsmith, should help at forward. This is a talented group.”
Coach: Blair Gerlach, eighth yearLast Year: 15-2-2, 14-0 in section, lost in WPIAL quarterfinalsKey Losses: Karli Paracca (Kent State), Lydia Dennis, Amber Fichter (Duquesne), Megan Stetz (PSU-Behrend), Sarah Dailey (Pitt-Bradford). Olivia Haesner, Maggie SarverKey Returnees: Sr. Sabrina Edwards (forward-midfield, 22 goals,18 assists), Sr. Casey Merritt (midfield), Soph. Tori Kopchak (forward, 17 goals, 21 assists), Soph. Kaitlyn McKenzie (forward), Jr. Judy Kahn (forward), Jr. Erin Posey (midfield), Jr. Shannon Doyle (center-back), Jr. Dillon Wright (defender)Gerlach says: “We should be young, energetic and productive offensively. Our level of athleticism gives us the ability to keep moving north. We have a couple of sophomore goalkeepers in Sammy Papik and Sydney Edwards, but we'll be battle-tested for the playoffs. We want to extend our section title streak (five in a row).”
Coach: Dave Sylvester, 14th yearLast Year: 20-3-1, 10-1-1 in section, WPIAL Class AAA champion, PIAA semifinalistKey Losses: MaryKate Zahorchak (Edinboro), Alexis BucciKey Returnees: Sr. Alicia Hart (center-back), Sr. Lexus Lambert (center-back), Sr. Claire Kocur (defense), Sr. Jess Neill (goalkeeper), Jr. Sarah Anderson (outside midfield), Jr. Megan Majeski (center midfield), Jr. Caroline Miller (center-midfield, 9 goals), Sr. Kelsey O'Connor (outside midfield, 10 goals), Sr. Emily Wagner (forward, 9 goals), Jr. Cassidy Testa (forward), Jr. Paige Montrose, Jr. Emily Cekella (outside midfield), Sr. Kalyn Serman (midfield)Sylvester says: “We have a very deep lineup and can rotate five or six players in for 20-minute stretches. Getting the girls to buy into that can make us successful. I've been a lucky coach because we've been able to reload from year to year. Our scoring should be balanced. Our section has a lot of good teams and helps prepare us for the playoffs.”
Coach: Melanie Roczko, second yearLast Year: 15-1-5, 7-1-3 in leagueKey Losses: Aster Chmielewski, Charlene Doerr, Sarah KadlubekKey Returnees: Sr. Abby Magliocca (center-midfield), Sr. Molly Joyce (forward, 24 goals, 13 assists), Sr. Jenny Dudek (forward, 30 goals, 23 assists), Sr. Skyler Hinchberger (outside midfield), Soph. Hannah Willison (goalkeeper, 7 shutouts), Soph. Bailey Boyd (forward)Roczko says: “We looked good in our two scrimmages and I'll be disappointed if our team doesn't make the playoffs with this work ethic. We missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker last year, so now our goal is not to leave it up to chance. We've got players who can score goals, but we lost three of our top defensive players. Some girls will be playing defense this year that didn't play there last year.”
