SuburbanOneSports.com recognizes a male and female featured athlete each week. The awards, sponsored by Univest, are given to seniors of good character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete for week of June 6, 2018
Pat Toner remembers it as if it were yesterday. Her 15th-seeded and decided underdog Central Bucks South field hockey team battling second-seeded Methacton to a 0-0 tie after regulation and through a riveting overtime when – with five seconds remaining – the unthinkable happened. The Titans, who had managed just two shots, were awarded a penalty stroke. After some initial confusion, Kasey Dietzel calmly strode to the stroke mark and connected on a shot that propelled the Titans to an electrifying 1-0 over the Warriors in a District one 3A second round contest. It was one of the biggest upsets in program history. “I’ll remember that for the rest of my life,” Toner said. “I just thought – how in God’s name did we just do that?” The fact that Dietzel – bound for the U.S. Naval Academy to play lacrosse – didn’t flinch in the biggest moment of the season speaks volumes about the senior midfielder, and although she willingly stepped into the spotlight, Dietzel would have been just as happy to defer to a teammate. “She’s a very unselfish kid and player,” Toner said. “She’s more the kind of person who would rather give you the ball than take it herself, so we really pushed her to be the person who takes the ball more often than not. She stepped up unbelievably and did what we needed her to do when we needed her to do it.”
Field hockey is Dietzel’s second sport but could just as easily have been her first. Lacrosse, however, has been the sport of choice for the Dietzel family. Kasey followed in the footsteps of older siblings Bryn (’12), Devon (’14) and Courtney (’16) and was an impact player for South’s lacrosse team since she stepped onto the field as a freshman. “She contributes in every aspect of the game,” South coach Janique Craig said. “She’s not just a scorer, she was playing defense on the top opponent, she took our draws, she was in charge of our transitions, she was our top assister. She did everything for us. She was such a valuable player on our team, and it wasn’t just goals and assists she contributed. She’s one of the most unselfish players I have ever coached. She definitely makes everyone around her better.”
Dietzel recently wrapped up a prolific high school lacrosse career that saw her score 224 goals and assist on 154 others. The Academic All-American also had well over 400 draw controls and was a force at both ends of the field. The decision to continue her lacrosse career at the Naval Academy was a relatively easy one for Dietzel. “My uncle went to West Point, so I always knew about the academies,” she said. “Once I received interest from the Naval Academy, I went to visit and I instantly fell in love with it. It’s crazy when you go there. You see so many motivated people and people who want to be their best. That’s who I want to surround myself with. I can’t imagine anything better or anything else I’d rather do.” An excellent student, Dietzel is a member of South’s National Honors Society. She was a Special Olympics coach and was involved in South’s MiniThon and Books Beyond Words.
To read Dietzel’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/kasey-dietzel-0078654
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete for week of June 6, 2018
With a name like Cross, Cross Edwards was always destined to stand out, and volleyball offered him his best chance to shine. The Pennridge senior first picked up an interest in the sport from his father, who played volleyball in law school. Father and son would play on the beach, and Edwards became a kid who was always bumping a volleyball around. He played a couple of years in rec league before starting to really learn the competitive side of the sport at the high school level from coach Dave Childs. Freshman year was mostly a learning campaign with Edwards suiting up for a couple of varsity matches during its first of three consecutive district championships from 2015-17. Childs knew right away he had a talented play in his midst.
“I knew then he could be pretty good by his senior year just by getting him into it a little bit and seeing what the sport could offer at a higher level,” Childs said. “From his sophomore year on, he was a starter for us at outside hitter, a big role on the team even as a sophomore. The way we run things, he’s basically our number one passing option, and Cross is a phenomenal hitter. After sophomore year, his role really changed, and he took on more responsibilities on the court. With greater responsibility, the better he became, and that continued to progress into his junior and senior seasons.” Edward parlayed his work ethic and love for the game into an opportunity to play Division I volleyball at Saint Francis University. “When I looked at Saint Francis, I saw the opportunity to play competitive D-I volleyball, but also the challenge again of having to earn my spot on the court,” Edwards said.
Another reason Edwards chose to attend Saint Francis beyond its competitive volleyball program is the ability to focus his education on another thing he’s passionate about: aviation. The school allows interested students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a private or commercial pilot’s license at the same time. Edwards will pursue the field of business management with a concentration in aviation.
When he’s not playing volleyball, Edwards is a lifeguard in Quakertown. He is also heavily involved in his church, First Baptist Church of Perkasie. “God has blessed me in my life,” Edwards said. “When I play, I want to be a light on the court. My actions point to God, and I’m not playing for anyone else but Him.” Childs has no doubt that Edwards will succeed at the collegiate level, both on and off the court. “He’ll really listen to those coaches and put in the time and effort,” the Rams’ coach said. “Cross is a guy who is into a lot of different things with volleyball and his church and his family, so it’s been a pleasure to watch him grow into something I believe will translate to the next level.”
To read Edwards’ complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/cross-edwards-0078655
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