Eight SOL teams will be in action when the District One AAA Tournament gets underway on Monday. Check out the preview capsules below.
(Submitted Photo)
In the fall of 2013, Marianne Paparone returned to the helm of a Plymouth Whitemarsh team that had just completed a sub-.500 season. The program’s turnaround was immediate as the Colonials went on to capture the SOL American Conference title.
The Colonials made it three in a row this year, rolling to a 13-1 record in conference play, and this one was especially sweet.
“It wasn’t really expected,” Paparone said. “I don’t really have superstars, I don’t have kids that play club all year round.
“We’re just a bunch of hard working kids that buy into the team concept. I think it started a couple of years ago with the Konowal sisters and a couple of seniors I had that year, and that really set a great tone for hard work and the team concept. I think the kids have really carried on with that.
“I have seniors that have stepped up every year to do that. Last year it was Allison Spinelli. This year it’s Aurora Mills who has kind of taken on that role of leader, and then you have role players who do their jobs, so it’s been a nice fit.”
This year’s roster includes nine seniors with Mills, outside attacker Paige Totten, sweeper Grace McGuire and goalies Victoria Byrne and Claire McAllister playing starting roles. McGuire is a four-year starter and captain. McAllister, also a captain, and Byrne split time in goal with each playing a half of every game.
“I think once you start to win it’s easier to keep winning than to try to build winning because you’ve already established that culture,” Paparone said. “They make it really easy for me.
“These kids get here on time, they support one another, and it just makes life simple, so we just have to worry about x’s and o’s and that kind of thing. They’re team kids. We’re pretty much drama-free – at least as far as I’m aware of, and it just makes it easier to play the game.”
While Paparone would like to see more players commit to hockey year round, she points to sophomore Sophie Kolkka, a lacrosse player who doesn’t play in the offseason but earned first team all-league recognition as a freshman.
“She could play high level Division One field hockey,” Paparone said. “She’s a lacrosse kid, but she buys in – she loves field hockey.”
Junior Frankie O’Brien is the team’s top scorer with 19 goals while Kennedy Reardon has 14.
“And then I have role players,” said Paparone. “I have two side backs – Sami Mangine and Kolby Bechtel – who are just good kids and getting better every year.
“They’re not setting the world on fire, but they do their jobs, and they’re very committed.
Mangine’s commitment is underscored by the fact that she has two broken fingers but hasn’t missed a beat.
“She broke her first finger a couple of weeks ago in the Upper Merion game, and I thought she was going to be done for the season,” said Paparone. “We’ve started the same players every game all season, so we’ve really been fortunate.
“I have never had that in 25 years to not have a kid hurt or sick. They play through being hurt, they play through being sick because they buy into team.”
It’s been a winning combination for the Colonials, the 10th-seeded team in the District One AAA Tournament. PW will host Lower Merion in an opening round game Monday.
#23 LOWER MERION at #10 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH
Plymouth Whitemarsh
- 14-3 overall
- 13-1 SOL American Conference champion
- Winners of three consecutive conference titles
- Split conference series with 19th-seeded Wissahickon, falling in the first 4-0 and winning the second 1-0.
- Led on attack by Frankie O’Brien (19 goals, nine assists) and Kennedy Reardon (14 goals, three assists.
- Defeated Lower Merion 3-2 on Oct. 10
Lower Merion
- 11-6-2 overall
- 6-4-2 Central League sixth place
- Tied 24th-seeded Harriton
- Fell to Plymouth Whitemarsh 3-2 on Oct. 10
#19 WISSAHICKON at #14 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST
Central Bucks East
- 14-4 overall
- 10-4 SOL Continental Conference second place behind Central Bucks West
- Wins over 18th-seeded Council Rock South (3-1), 26th-seeded North Penn (3-1), 27th-seeded Pennridge (4-2, 2-1) and a Gwynedd Mercy squad that is seeded fourth in the District One AA bracket (4-2).
- First trip to district tournament since 2010
- Led by Riley Donnelly (26 goals, 14 assists) and Abbey Butler (11 goals, four assists).
Coach Michelle Finegan says: “CB East is very excited to be back in the District playoffs for the first time since 2010. This was a goal for the team in August, and I am so proud of them that they have achieved it! We are looking forward to hosting a game in our new Stadium.”
Wissahickon
- 13-4 overall
- 12-2 SOL American Conference second place
- Split season series with 10th-seeded Plymouth Whitemarsh, winning the first 4-0 and falling 1-0 in the second.
- Jessica Waite (12 goals, nine assists) is the Trojans’ top goal scorer, and Sammi Pak is the team’s top distributor (five goals, 15 assists).
#17 SPRING-FORD at #16 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH
Council Rock North
- 13-5 overall
- 10-4 SOL National Conference third place
- Wins over 11th-seeded Mount St. Joseph (2-0), 18th-seeded Council Rock South (3-1), 19th-seeded Wissahickon (1-0) and 25th-seeded Pennsbury (5-3)
- Won six of seven games to close out regular season with only loss to fourth-seeded Neshaminy (1-0).
Spring-Ford
- 10-7-1 overall
- 7-5-1 PAC-10 Liberty Division fourth place
- Led offensively by Karly Conway (14 goals, 12 assists) and Lexie Nugent (nine goals, 11 assists).
- Earned a win over 19th-seeded Wissahickon (6-1) and tied seventh seeded Methacton (1-1)
#18 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH at #15 PERKIOMEN VALLEY
Council Rock South
- 12-6 overall
- 11-3 SOL National Conference second place
- Wins over 16th-seeded Council Rock North (3-2) and 25th-seeded Pennsbury (1-0 & 2-1)
- Led by area’s top goal scorer in junior Caroline McGovern (31 goals, nine assists) while Tori Wright is the team’s assist leader (six goals, 12 assists). McGovern is committed to Boston College
Perkiomen Valley
- 13-7 overall
- 11-2 PAC-10 Liberty Division regular season co-champs
- Lost to Owen J. Roberts 3-1 in PAC-10 Tournament title game
- Wins over seventh-seeded Methacton (1-0 & 3-1) and 17th-seeded Spring-Ford (4-0 & 2-1)
- Lost to fourth-seeded Neshaminy 3-0
- Led by PAC-10’s top goal scorer, Indiana recruit Kelsey Giese, with 27 goals and 12 assists. Leading the team in assists is University of Pennsylvania-bound Laura Shelton (nine goals, 15 assists).
#25 PENNSBURY at #8 OWEN J ROBERTS
Pennsbury
- 11-7 overall
- 9-5 SOL National Conference fourth place
- Notched a win over 16th-seeded Council Rock North (2-1)
- The Falcons, who have a mix of veterans and youth, are anchored by a solid senior class.
Owen J Roberts
- 16-4 overall
- 11-2 PAC-10 Liberty Division regular season co-champs
- Defeated defending champion Perk Valley 3-1 in PAC-10 title game
- Wins over seventh-seeded Methacton (2-1 & 5-2), 15th-seeded Perk Valley (2-0 & 4-2) and 17th-seeded Spring-Ford (2-1 & 3-0)
- Let offensively by the trio of Makena Aberle (21 goals, 11 assists), Corinne Gerber (18 goals, 10 assists) and Bridget Guinan (13 goals, five assists)
- Return three first team all-league selections from last year in Nettie Montes (Hofstra), Corinne Gerber (St. Joseph’s) and Courtney Gerber (St. Joseph’s)
- Lost to Neshaminy 1-0 in season opener on Sept. 4.
#26 NORTH PENN at #7 METHACTON
North Penn
- 9-9 overall
- 8-6 SOL Continental Conference third place
- Wins over 14th-seeded Central Bucks East (2-0) and #24th-seeded Pennridge (1-0).
- Attack is led by high-scoring sophomore Brianna O’Donnell, who has 21 goals and five assists. Emma Herb has eight goals and nine assists.
- Lost to Methacton 4-3 in overtime in season opener on Sept. 4
Coach Shannon McCracken says: "North Penn is looking forward to playing in the district tournament and going up against a talented Methacton team. We have faced adversity this season as a young team and a team that has experienced injuries but we have fought to earn a spot in the tournament and are excited for the opportunity."
Methacton
- 14-3-1 overall
- 9-3-1 PAC-10 Liberty Division third place
- Wins over eighth-seeded Owen J Roberts (2-1), 17th-seeded Spring-Ford (1-0) and 24th-seeded Harriton (4-0),
- Attack led by Olivia Hoover (15 goals, two assists), Emily Sayre (eight goals, nine assists) and Jackie Cerchio (11 goals, three assists).
- Sayre, a first team all-league selection last year, is committed to St. Joseph’s
- Defeated North Penn 4-3 in overtime in season opener on Sept. 4.
#27 PENNRIDGE at #6 DOWNINGTOWN WEST
Pennridge
- 10-8 overall
- 7-7 SOL Continental Conference fourth place
- Lady Rams won just two games last year, one in SOL Continental Conference play.
- Attack is led by Larissa Motts (six goals, 13 assists), Caitlyn Amsden (10 goals, two assists) and Meghan Griffin (six goals, nine assists).
- Won six in a row late in the season, a streak that included a win over 26th-seeded North Penn (2-1).
- Dropped a pair of games on the heels of six-game win streak to close out regular season.
Coach Becky Spahr says: “I couldn't be more proud of the turnaround season that we had this year. Starting last spring my leadership team started talking about goals, and we decided then that our goal was to make it to districts. The team worked hard in the offseason to prep and then really gained confidence as our season continued. Yes, we are content with the outcome of this season, but we are still looking to prove ourselves within the district. We have our work cut out for us with #6 Downingtown West, but this is playoffs – everyone has a clean slate. We are prepared and will be ready for the challenge on Monday.”
Downingtown West
- 13-3-1 overall
- 11-2 second place in Ches-Mont National Division behind Downingtown East
- Fell to top-seeded Unionville (6-2), second-seeded Downingtown East (1-0) and fifth-seeded Conestoga (2-1). Tied defending District One AA champion Villa Maria Academy 1-1
- Wins over ninth-seeded Bishop Shanahan (4-2), 13th-seeded West Chester Henderson (3-0), 22nd-seeded Avon Grove (3-0) and 26th-seeded North Penn (8-1).
- Last year, the fourth-seeded Whippets defeated then 13th-seeded Central Bucks West 3-0 in the second round of the district tournament.
- Senior Becca Inzer has committed to Lehigh University.
About the Author
