Check out the previews for the nine SOL girls’ soccer teams who will begin play in the opening round of this year’s District One AAA Tournament on Tuesday.
#25 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH at #8 SPRING-FORD
Plymouth Whitemarsh
- 11-5-1 overall, 9-4-1 SOL
- Third place SOL American Conference
- Beat #26 Harriton 2-1 and lost to #22 Mount St Joe’s 0-1
- Shutout seven league opponents
Players to watch: Carly Abbott (Jr., Defender and team captain), Crissy Terraces (Sr., Forward and team captain)
Coach Steve Slack says:“We are very happy to have made the postseason. We know that we will be heading to Spring Ford as the under-dog, but we will turn up ready to play and we will see what happens.”
Spring-Ford
- 17-1-1 overall, 11-1-1 PAC-10
- Liberty Division Champion
- First ever league title
- None of the players had ever been in a PAC-10 Final Four match before this year
- Defeated #4 Boyertown 2-1 in PAC-10 championship, handing them their only loss of the season
#24 BISHOP SHANAHAN at #9 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST
Bishop Shanahan
- 9-7-1 overall, 8-4-1 Ches-Mont League
- Fourth place National Division
- Lost to #12 Pennsbury and #19 Unionville 1-0
- Beat #17 West Chester East 2-0
- Won three in a row to end regular season
Central Bucks West
- 9-2-5 overall, 7-1-5 SOL
- Third place Continental Conference
- Tied #6 Central Bucks East 0-0 and #5 Pennridge 1-1
- Beat American Conference Champs #14 Upper Dublin 1-0
- Lost 3-2 to #4 Boyertown
- Advanced to District Semifinals in 2012
Players to watch: Shae McCarty (Jr., Midfielder), Grace Bendon (Jr., Keeper), Emily Grove (Sr., Midfielder), Gwen Harvey (Sr., Defensive Midfielder), Kelsey Horst (Sr., Forward), Zoe Traficante (Sr., Defensive Midfielder)
Coach Jorge Rodriguez says: “This team has enough returning players from last year's team to have the experience of being through this before. We're hoping that combining that experience along with good organized soccer we can be competitive in the tournament.”
#20 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH at #13 DOWNINGTOWN WEST
Council Rock North
- 6-7-4 overall, 6-5-3 SOL
- Fourth place National Conference
- One of two teams to score on #1 Neshaminy in the regular season
- Had a seven-game winless stretch but finished the season winning 3 of 5
- Lost to rival #10 Council Rock South 4-1 in last game of regular season
Players to watch:Bri Columbo (Sr., Midfielder and team's leading scorer), Tori Hill (So., Midfielder), Delaney Smith (Sr., Midfielder), Anna Budny (Sr., Defender), Michaela Finneyfrock (Jr., Midfielder)
Coach Ginna Lewing says:“We are excited to be back in the District Playoffs and are looking forward to playing a great team in Downingtown West. West too has a storied history of success in girls’ soccer in the state. Our team is thrilled to compete in such a talented and strong District and eager to compete.”
Downingtown West
- 11-5-1 overall, 10-3 Ches-Mont League
- Second place National Division
- Lost 5-0 to #1 Neshaminy in season opener and 2-1 to #15 Owen J Roberts in a rematch of 2012’s district semifinal game
- Beat #19 Unionville 2-1 and tied #11 Conestoga 0-0
- Closed out regular season on an eight-game winning streak
- Made it to first round of states in 2012
#21 GARNET VALLEY at #12 PENNSBURY
Garnet Valley
- 11-8 overall, 8-2 Central League
- Third place in league
- Won 7 of 9 to close out season
- Defeated #19 Unionville 5-1 early in season
- Lost season opener to #12 Pennsbury 1-0
- Reached #3 spot in Daily Times Super Seven rankings
Pennsbury
- 10-4-4 overall, 7-3-4 SOL
- Third place National Conference
- Lost 3-0 to #3 Strath Haven to close the regular season
- Tied #10 Council Rock South 0-0 in a league game
- Shut out #21 Garnet Valley 2-0 early in season
- Only allowed six goals the entire season
Players to watch:Uche Onuoha (Jr., Forward), Sarah McDonald (Sr., Keeper), Courtney Bennett (Sr., Keeper), Caroline Foley (Fr., Central Defender)
Coach Kim Voorhees says: “We are looking forward to a successful playoff run. The first half of the season was great for us, and we had a bit of a lull in the second half. The playoffs have reenergized us, and we are really excited to get back to the soccer we were playing at the beginning of the season. We are confident that we will be able to come together and find success as a team in the playoffs.”
#18 QUAKERTOWN at #15 OWEN J ROBERTS
Quakertown
- 10-8 overall, 7-7 SOL
- Fourth place Continental Conference
- Beat #23 Wissahickon 3-1 in season opener
- Defeated league foe Central Bucks South for the first time in the school’s history
- Improved to .500 record after a 3-10 season in 2012
Players to watch: Shannon Gibat (Sr., Forward), Courtney Waite (Sr., Defender), Linzi Wolfe (Jr., midfielder), Jami Soriano (Jr., Midfielder), Erinne Finlayson (Jr., Keeper), Jenna Joseph (Sr., Defender), Callie Hubicki (Sr., Defender), Robin Kramme (Sr., Defender), Katie Crouthamel (Fr., Forward), Sam Ramsden (Fr., Midfielder), Jess Minnichbach (So., Midfielder)
Coach Mike Koch says: “Quakertown hopes to build upon the success in the league and put to use the test that the league provides each week to compete in districts. Owen J Roberts is a tough opponent with a long record of success in post-season soccer and will be a great challenge.”
Owen J Roberts
- 8-7-1 overall, 6-6-1 PAC-10
- Third place Liberty Division
- Tied #4 Boyertown 1-1 in league play
- Beat #13 Downingtown West 2-1
- Earned 3-1 win over #21 Garnet Valley to close regular season
#23 WISSAHICKON at #10 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH (7 pm)
Wissahickon
- 11-4-2 overall, 10-2-2 SOL
- Second place American Conference
- Defeated #1 seed in District I class A bracket Christopher Dock 4-3
- Beat #25 Plymouth Whitemarsh 4-2 in a regular season league game
- Lost to #5 Pennridge 1-0 and #18 Quakertown 3-1
- Defending American Conference champions
Players to watch: Alyssa Ryan (Jr., Midfielder), Megan Guzewicz (Jr., Forward), Anna Chiodo-Ortiz (Jr., Center Back)
Coach Shannon Franke says: “We lost six starting players to graduation last season after winning the American Conference championship. This season we have been working on filling those shoes, asking a handful of freshmen to step and try a pair on. Being such a young team, I am so proud of how far they have come. Our veteran players have taken the younger (players) under their wing, which has paid off with a stellar finish in regular season and now a District playoff spot.”
Council Rock South
- 11-4-2 overall, 10-2-2 SOL
- Second place National Conference
- Took #1 Neshaminy to overtime in 1-0 loss and are one of two teams to score a goal on the top seed
- Lost to #7 WC Rustin 1-0 and to #2 Downingtown East 2-0
- All four of Rock South’s losses were by teams ranked in the top ten
- Scored six or more goals in five games
Players to watch:Taylor Dillon (Sr., Forward), Nikki Caffey (Jr., Offense), Alyssa Palio (Sr., Midfielder), Gabi Rosenfeld (Sr., Midfielder)
#19 UNIONVILLE at #14 UPPER DUBLIN
Unionville
- 10-7 overall, 9-4 Ches-Mont League
- Second place American Conference
- Shut out #21 Garnet Valley 2-0
- Lost 3-1 to #4 Boyertown
- Handed #2 Downingtown East its only loss in the Ches-Mont league (2-1)
Upper Dublin
- 13-4-1 overall, 13-0-1 SOL
- First place American Conference
- Undefeated in league play
- Ten of league wins were shutouts
- Lost 2-1 to #5 Pennridge and 1-0 to #9 Central Bucks West
Players to watch:Kendall Couch (Sr., Midfielder), Dominique Greene-Coleman (Sr., Defense), Lexi Rama (Sr., Keeper)
Coach John Topper says:“We are pleased with our seeding and are looking forward to what should be a very good game against a strong Unionville squad.”
#27 INTERBORO at #6 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST
Interboro
- 8-4-2 overall
- Won 5 of last 7 games
- Had a five-game stretch where they did not allow a goal
- Lost late season league game to Chichester 4-1 and earned 2-1 win over Lower Merion
- Noel Hanson and Jill Brennan are their leading scorers
Central Bucks East
- 15-1-3 overall, 10-1-3 SOL
- Second place Continental Conference
- Only loss came from #5 Pennridge
- Shut out #14 Upper Dublin 4-0 to end regular season and beat #7 WC Rustin 2-1 in season opener
- Allowed only five goals in league play and posted eight shutouts
- Eliminated in first round of PIAA State Playoffs in 2012
Players to watch:Shaun Kane (Sr., Forward), Emma Loving (So., Forward), Annie Axenroth (Sr., Midfielder), Nicole Pannella (Sr., Midfielder), Kristen Murphy (Jr., Midfielder), Holly Moyer (Sr., Defender), Abby Emmert (Sr., Defender), Paige Marcinkowski (Sr., Keeper)
Coach Paul Eisold says: “This CB East team continues to win and be competitive, challenging the best teams in the area. The dynamic duo of Emma Loving and Shaun Kane have produced over 25 goals and 18 assists. Many players have stepped up adding quality goals in a timely manner. The setbacks this team has undergone this season make them a contender this postseason. When East is running full blast on all cylinders, be prepared for an entertaining game.”
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