Eight SOL girls’ lacrosse teams will be in action Tuesday when the District One AAAA Tournament begins. Check back for a recap.
By Mary Jane Souder
Rachel Rausa, despite her best efforts, is having no success jogging the memories of her teammates about a desperation play at the buzzer that saw her connect with her sister for one of those you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it goals.
The Hatboro-Horsham senior is certain it happened against Souderton last year.
“Remember the one ball I just threw, and it just rolled through everyone, and Sydney happened to be at the end?” Rausa said. “Do you remember that game?”
No, her teammates said, they don’t remember, but they do recall a play just like that happening in the Hatters’ game against Abington last year when Rachel – from the far restraining line – heaved the ball the length of the field, and it wound up in her sister’s cross.
“Of course, Sydney just happened to be there,” Rachel said. “She was kind of open, and the ball bounced through a bunch of people, and Sydney put it in.”
Sisters, it seems, have that kind of magical connection, and this year’s Hatter squad has written its own version of ‘Sister Act’ with four sets of siblings – nine sisters - on the varsity.
“It goes in cycles – kids have kids, and they tend to play the same sports,” coach Duncan Swezey said. “When one kid has success in a sport, the younger siblings tend to play the same sport. It could be football, it could be basketball.”
Or, in this case, it’s lacrosse.
This year, the Hatters have the corner of the market when it comes to sisters. In addition to senior Rachel Rausa and sophomore sibling Sydney, there’s senior Jane Henry and sophomore Keeley Henry. Senior Caroline Acker has a pair of siblings in freshman twins Gabby and Gwyn Acker, and rounding out the sisters are junior Emily Wallace and freshman Kaitlyn Wallace.
Senior Katie McKay and sophomore Carly Daley both had older sisters who were part of the program, and in yet another family connection, senior Colby Eldridge and junior Jenna Cutilli are first cousins. Junior Casey Swezey is the daughter of the coach.
In other words, only three members of this year’s SOL American Conference championship squad – seniors Annette Desipio, Ally Giorno and Maria Guerra - don’t have and haven’t had a relative on the team. Every one of the nine underclassmen has a sister on the team.
“It’s awesome,” Rachel Rausa said. “Honestly, there’s so much good chemistry, and even the ones that aren’t related, we’re all so close.
“You can only have so much talent on the team, but we have so much motivation and support, and that definitely works in our favor.”
This year’s senior class has been an integral part of three straight championships, and with the titles pretty much a family affair, there are some interesting dynamics at play.
For her part, Caroline Acker couldn’t wait for twin sisters Gwyn and Gabby to join the team this year.
“We like to work together, we support each other,” she said.
Are the siblings competitive?
“Not really, to be honest,” Caroline said. “I like to see them do better than myself.”
While there’s no mistaking the camaraderie, there’s also the flip side when it’s much easier to speak your mind to a sibling.
Emily Wallace came out for the team for the first time this year as a junior after opting to walk away from the travel softball scene that had been her life.
“I played softball all the way up until now, competitively all summer long – really hard core,” she said. “I was crazy about it (until this summer), and I didn’t want to play in college, so I decided to switch it up- they needed a goalie.”
It was her younger sister, Kaitlyn, who showed her the ropes.
“When I first started, we went out in the backyard, and I said, ‘All right, take it easy. I don’t even know the rules of this game,’” Emily said. “She’s faking high and shooting low, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing? This is my first time.’
“I took off the stuff, I threw the helmet across the yard. I’m like, ‘This is enough. I’m done. I’m never doing this again.’”
But Wallace did do it again, and she is the starting goalie for the Hatters in her rookie season on the team. There are still moments when she admits she takes out her frustration on her well-intentioned sister.
“When I mess up, I’m mad, and she’ll come over and say, ‘Great try,’” Emily said. “I’m like, ‘Stop talking to me. Why are you talking to me?’”
Those moments aside, Emily admits it has been a lot of fun.
“It’s nice,” she said. “This is such a good team. There are so many sisters, and we’re all like sisters – everyone together.”
That being said, there is such a thing, according to senior Jane Henry, as too much ‘togetherness.’
“I literally see my sister all the time,” she said. “I drive her to school, and then after school, we go to practice. I see her at home and at dinner. We share a room, so it gets even worse – I see her at night.
“In school, we’re not in the same class, and it’s probably the only time I get a break from her. Other than that, I’m literally with her the whole time.”
In truth, she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I get so annoyed with her sometimes, but it’s fun,” Jane Henry said. “She’s a funny girl, she makes me laugh.
“This is the last time playing together, and it’s going to be weird playing without her.”
The fact that lacrosse is a family affair for so many Hatters, according to Rachel Rausa, can be attributed to the community’s youth program.
“I honestly think it shows how good a youth program Horsham has,” she said. “You have all of the older siblings, and it shows how good of an experience we had, and we want to pass it down to our sisters.”
It’s a legacy that doesn’t figure to end any time soon.
“You look at some of our younger kids – the fact that they’re around the older girls that are good, they’ve got sticks in their hands at a young age,” Swezey said. “They’re playing with sticks way earlier than a lot of kids are exposed to the game. They see the game, and they spend a lot of time on the field. It’s interesting.”
Interesting and also a winning formula at Hatboro-Horsham where the Hatters have not lost an SOL game in three years.
Seniors going out on top – Kelly Yemm Kelly has a long history with this year’s senior class, initially as a freshman coach and then as a volunteer. For the past two years, she has been at the helm, and the program has been on the rise, improving from 9-9 last year to 15-1 this year.
When Souderton captured the SOL Continental Conference title with last week’s 15-5 win over archrival North Penn, it represented their program’s first conference crown since 2005.
Kelly credits the seniors – Tori Bulgier, Chessie Rahmer, Nikki Palmer, Michelle Goodwin, Alexa Schneider and Jen Bergey – for playing a role in the program’s development.
“This senior class has really helped the team grow as a unit,” the Indians’ coach said. “They have taken every class beneath them under their wing.
“The whole team is friendly, and they care about one another’s success. It’s been key having a team that wants to challenge one another and work hard every time they step on the field. The leaders bring a fun, positive vibe that encourages the younger players to step up.”
The team’s captains – according to Kelly – have provided outstanding leadership.
“In the past few years, we have gone from a young, overly-excited team to a seasoned unit that shows composure and poise on the field,” she said. “That all comes back to this senior class and our captains – Chessie, Michelle and Tori.
“I encourage lots of communication, and this team embraces challenges. All season long they remained focused and took each game one at a time. They worked hard for the league championship, and I couldn’t be more proud!”
The Indians begin their second season on Tuesday when they host Haverford in an opening round district game.
#23 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH at #10 HATBORO-HORSHAM (7 p.m.)
Hatboro-Horsham
- 14-4 overall
- 9-0 SOL American Conference champions
- Third straight conference title for the Hatters, who won back-to-back Continental Conference crowns
- Hatters were 3-4 after seven games but reeled off 11 straight wins to close out regular season.
- Three of four losses have come to teams seeded in top 10 of districts - #1 Garnet Valley (14-8), #3 Great Valley (12-11) and #6 Radnor (18-8). The fourth is to perennial Inter-Ac power Episcopal Academy (17-4).
- Led by senior captains Maria Guerra (Boston University), Jane Henry (Central Connecticut) and Rachel Rausa (Georgetown).
Council Rock North
- 10-7 overall
- 7-2 SOL National Conference (tied for second)
- Five of seven losses are to teams in district tournament
- Won six of eight games to close out regular season after a 3-5 start
- Wins over #24 North Penn (10-7) and #32 Central Bucks East (11-2)
#21 HAVERFORD at #12 SOUDERTON (4 p.m.)
Souderton
- 15-1 overall
- 9-0 SOL Continental Conference champions
- First championship for program since 2005
- Wins over #15 Central Bucks West (18-8), #18 Wissahickon (14-9), #23 Council Rock North (14-5), #24 North Penn 17-7). #27 CB South (14-9) and #32 CB East (18-5)
- Won 15 in a row before falling to #6 Radnor 19-6 in final game of regular season.
Players to watch: Natalie Bulgier (Jr., A/M), Amber Lambeth (Jr.,M), Brittany Roynan (Jr., M), Chessie Rahmer (Sr., M), Michelle Goodwin (Sr., D), Nikki Palmer (Sr., A), Tori Bulgier (Sr., A), Kelly Williams (Jr., G), Alexa Schneider (Sr., D)
Coach Kelly Kelly says: “We are looking forward to another playoff year. Our team is coming off a strong season and would like to see that play carry over into playoffs. We face a Central League opponent in the first round, so we are going to need to work together to come out with this win.”
Haverford
- 11-7 overall
- 5-6 Central League
- Won six in a row to open season but lost five of six to close out regular season.
- All seven of the Fords losses have been to teams seeded in the top 10 of districts.
#18 WISSAHICKON at #15 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (7 p.m.)
Central Bucks West
- 14-4 overall
- 7-2 SOL National Conference (tied for second)
- Defeated Wissahickon 9-6 in April 4 meeting
- Won six straight to open season and eight of nine before finishing 4-5 in final nine games.
- Led offensively by JMU-bound senior Elena Romesburg (63 goals/10 assists), junior Jacq Fitzgerald (49 goals/nine assists) and freshman Bryn Boylan (34 goals/21 assists).
Players to watch: Midfielders Elena Romesburg (senior), Sarah Gebre (senior), Jacq Fitzgerald (junior), Defenders Madison Shields (senior), Paige Savard (junior), Katie Holt (sophomore), Meghan Darcy (freshman), Attacker Amanda Gundlach (senior), Meghan Tillger (junior), Jess Kloss (junior), Bryn Boylan (freshman), Goalie Molly Naylor (sophomore)
Coach Tara Schmucker says: “We are excited to be in the playoffs again this year, and we have a great seed for our program. We hope to come out strong and not let the hype and pressure of the game get to us since we have more experience now. A lot of times playoffs are more about mental toughness than anything at this point in the season, and we hope to play our game and continue to grow as a team/program with focus and perseverance.”
Wissahickon
- 12-5 overall
- 7-2 SOL American Conference (tied for second)
- Wins over #23 Council Rock North (12-8) and #32 Central Bucks East (16-8)
- Lost Central Bucks West 9-6 on April 5.
- Led on attack by the trio of Hofstra-bound senior Zoe Gomez (75 goals/14 assists), freshman Emily Vervlied (43 goals/22 assists) and junior Lauren Irvine (45 goals/six assists).
Players to watch: Zoe Gomez (Sr.), Rachel Zucker (Sr.), Julie Silverman (Jr.), Lauren Irvine (Jr.), Marie Dickson (Soph.), Shannon Stagliano (Soph.), Emily Vervlied (Fr.), Carolyn Wilde (Fr.)
Coach David Schlesinger says: “We are very excited and honored to be invited back to the District One playoffs. Our rematch with CB West provides a chance at redemption for our 9-6 early season loss. This will be a great test for our very young team. Should be exciting.”
#24 NORTH PENN at #9 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON (6 p.m.)
North Penn
- 11-7 overall
- 6-3 SOL National Conference (fourth place)
- Wins over #12 Central Bucks West (20-12) and #27 Central Bucks South (13-12)
- After a 2-3 start, the Maidens won 10 of 11 before dropping final three games of regular season.
Players to watch: Emily Schulze (Jr.), Kaitlin Suzuki (Sr., Temple University), Ashley Durham (Sr., Old Dominion), Michelle Dyck (Soph.), Julianna Hill (Sr.)
Coach Jami Wilus Behm says: “We have an extremely tough matchup in Henderson. Last Friday’s loss against CR North dropped us about 10 spots in the district seeding. We stressed the importance of that game in getting a home versus away matchup. We will prepare as we always do for our next opponent and get ready to play North Penn lacrosse. We will need to have big stops from our goalie, and the defense will be led by senior Ashley Durham. Kaitlin Suzuki will lead the attack, and Julianna Hill and Emily Schulze will need to play big in the midfield to contain Henderson’s speed and toughness.”
West Chester Henderson
- 14-3 overall
- 9-2 Ches-Mont League (tied for second place)
- Only losses came at the hands of #3 Great Valley (19-13), #4 Downingtown East (8-7) and #8 Strath Haven (13-10).
- Wins over #14 Spring-Ford (9-8), #17 Unionville (14-13 OT) and #19 Bishop Shanahan (14-12) .
- Led by Katie O’Donnell, Pennsylvania’s all-time leading goal scorer who has 114 goals this season and 411 in her career. She will attend Penn State on a lacrosse scholarship.
- O’Donnell, a game changer, led Henderson to a district championship in field hockey last fall.
#26 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH at #6 RADNOR
Central Bucks South
- 12-6 overall
- 5-4 SOL National Conference (fifth place)
- Wins over #28 Gwynedd Mercy (13-12 OT) and #32 Central Bucks East (16-6)
- Led offensively by sophomore duo of Sarah Poli (51 goals, 28 assist) and Courtney Dietzel (50 goals, 20 assists)
Players to watch: Corrine Kenney (Jr.), Sarah Poli (Soph.), Courtney Dietzel (Soph.)
Coach Janique Craig says: "We are very excited to have such a young squad entering the district playoffs this season. Even though we are young, we know that we can play with any team if we play our best. Anyone can win on any given day. "
Radnor
- 14-4 overall
- 8-3 Central League
- Defending state runner-up
- Three losses to teams seeded in top 10 in district - #1 Garnet Valley (15-8), #2 Springfield-Delco (11-7) and #5 Harriton (11-7). The fourth loss was to a team from Milton, Ga.
- Wins over #7 Conestoga (10-8), #8 Strath Haven (9-8), #10 North Penn (11-8) and #15 Souderton (19-6).
- A pair of seniors and five juniors have committed to play at the D-1 level.
#32 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST at #1 GARNET VALLEY
Garnet Valley
- 16-1 overall
- 11-0 Central League champions for third time in four years (2011, 2012)
- Jaguars average close to 15 goals a game
- Wins over #2 Springfield-Delco (13-9), #5 Harriton (18-17) and #7 Conestoga (10-8)
- Only loss to Maryland power Good Counsel (13-12)
- Senior nucleus includes college-bound defenders Molly Savage (Drexel), Katie Stec (La Salle) and Nova Ward (Mercer) and midfielders Erica Coyne (Mercer), Dana Davis (Robert Morris) and Haley Warden (JMU). Sophomore standout Emily Mathewson chose Vanderbilt from a long list of the nation’s top schools looking to land her talents, and she is one of several outstanding underclassmen.
Central Bucks East
- 8-9 overall
- 4-5 SOL National Conference (sixth place)
- Wins over #24 North Penn (8-7) and #30 Jenkintown (16-9)
- Ended regular season with six-game losing streak after an 8-3 start
Players to watch: Maggie Stella (Jr.), Michaela Daley (Fr.), Sara Donnelly (Fr.), Julia Norek (Sr.), Nicole Delfini (Sr.), Alana Rivas (Jr.)
Coach Kelly White says: “I’m excited as a first-year coach to make it in the district playoffs. It’s a perfect way to end a season and to begin a strong offseason in the fall.”
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