3-peat meaningful to youth soccer team
BUTLER TWP — A dynasty before the age of 10?
That may sound unusual, but the Butler Bears 10U girls soccer team, a member of the Butler County Youth Soccer Association, is working on it.
The Bears recently won their 12-team division of the Plum Kick-Off Classic for the third consecutive year. That tournament has more than 300 teams in it overall and is considered one of the largest youth soccer tourneys in Pennsylvania, sttracting all of the top programs in the region.
“We’ve got 13 players on the team and seven or eight of these girls have been playing together since they were 4,” Bears coach Karen DeLorenzo said. “They just play so well together. There are no superstars. They work as a team and know where each other is going to be.”
The Bears won all five of their games in the tournament and outscored their opposition 24-2 in the process. They defeated Hempfield 10-0, Avonworth 3-1 and Fox Chapel 5-0 in group play.
A 3-0 win over Seneca Valley in the semifinals followed, then a 3-1 championship game win over North Allegheny.
One of DeLorenzo’s daughters, Addie, is on the team. She’s also coached her other daughter, 12-year-old Ava, in recent years. She has a son Andrew, 7, who also plays soccer.
“We have a long history of soccer in our family,” DeLorenzo said.
Her father, John Reefer, coached her and her siblings’ youth teams when they played. Reefer has coached some of his grandchildrens’ soccer teams as well.
Neal Early, who has assisted DeLorenzo with this group over the past few years, was unavailable to serve as the assistant this season. Reefer stepped in to fill the void.
“He’s got all kinds of soccer knowledge. Dad’s been a big help,” DeLorenzo said.
She has an impressive soccer background in her own right. DeLorenzo played soccer at Slippery Rock High School, graduating from there in 1999. She went on to make all-conference teams while playing at Grove City College.
“It’s fun coaching this group of girls,” her father said. “They fight and they dig. That North Allegheny team was physically bigger and stronger. But these girls worked hard, were quick to the ball and prevailed.
“I’ve been coaching soccer since the 1980’s. Seeing a group like this one, willing to put the time in to win and keep improving as a team ... It’s rewarding to be around them.”
Joining Addie as players on the Bears include Mya Siefker, Lexi Rudish, Teagan Early, Grace Pascaralla, Riley Neubauer, Camy Plummer, Sydney Rodgers, Julia McConville, Gia Conglose, Paige Weber, Finley Koziara and Paityn Barger.
Early said that while other commitments prevented him from coaching this year, the Bears will be heard from in Butler soccer circles down the road.
“These are dedicated, talented young girls who love the game,” he said. “They are only going to get better. Every now and then, you get a class of players that comes up through and impacts the high school program.
“This will be one of those classes. These girls play recreational soccer, club, travel — they can’t get enough of it.”
