GIRLS SOCCER: Carroll’s Seniors Set High Standards and Wood Freshman Paige Eckert Stepping up in a Big Way in this Week's Notebook

BY: MARC NARDUCCI

Archbishop Carroll’s strong group of seniors have set a high standard

Senior Day at any school for any sport brings a variety of emotions and that was certainly the case earlier this week at Archbishop Carroll.

The Patriots who cemented a spot in the Catholic League playoffs with their Senior Day 4-0 win over St. Hubert, had six varsity players from the senior class.

Fittingly, seniors scored three of the four goals with Ava Bleckley scoring twice and Ella Wright adding another on the longest of free kicks. The other goal was scored by junior Olivia Stout.

Besides Bleckley and Wright, the other seniors were Machaela Henry, Lainey Straub, Bella Stout and goalie Bridget Robinson.

It is a senior class that has done a great job setting the tone for the younger players.

“The last four years they have made us a respectable program and we had really struggled for a time,” Carroll coach Tom Quintois said. “Now, we have established oursleves as a team in the Catholic League that plays the right way and it is due in large part to the effort of these seniors.”

These seniors are multi-sport athletes. Soccer may not necessarily be the top sport for many of them, but they put the same effort in regardless.

“They all really work hard at what they do,” said Quintois, whose team enjoyed a 4-1 win over Little Flower earlier in the week. “They have fun, which is most important to me. They just make coaching a pleasure.”

#15 Ella Wright of Archbishop Carroll - PSD Photo by Marc Narducci

#24 Bella Stout of Archbishop Carroll - PSD Photo by Marc Narducci

Bleckley is one of those players where soccer isn’t her primary sport. She will be playing lacrosse next year at James Madison.

Senior Day was an event that showed the six how much they truly have enjoyed being part of the Carroll soccer program.

“It (Senior Day) was definitely great but also kind of sad because I never thought this day would come, but here we are,” Bleckley said. “It was great to be able to score and help the team.”

Wright, who will attend Ohio State and play lacrosse, was a four-year varsity player whose top sport for the longest time was soccer.

“I am going to miss it,” she said “It is going to be sad not playing college soccer but now there will be a new chapter, playing lacrosse.

She still hopes to play soccer as long as possible this fall, with the Catholic League and PIAA state tournament approaching.

Archbishop Carroll's Seniors

Front L to R: 8 Lainey Straub, 21 Ava Bleckley, 0 Bridget Robinson

Back L to R: 16 Machaela Henry, 24 Bella Stout, 15 Ella Wright

“I hope we can go out with a bang with Carroll soccer,” Wright said. “We have to keep fighting because we know we will be playing great competition.”

And it’s a team that thanks to its seniors, has been competitive against this good competition, a group that will surely be difficult to replace.

Earlier in the week, Carroll scored a 4-1 win over Little Flower. Freshman Colleen Protten scored twice, giving her 10 goals. Wright and sophomore Sophia Verlinghieri also scored goals.

Eckert and fellow freshmen playing big roles for Archbishop Wood

Few teams were hit harder by graduation than defending champion Archbishop Wood. The Vikings lost 12 seniors from last year’s team, including seven starters, but while the roster is younger, Archbishop Wood has benefited from the contributions of five freshman.

The Vikings are the only Catholic League team unbeaten in league play with a 7-0 mark.

Leading the way is Paige Eckert, who scored a goal in Thursday’s rain-soaked 2-0 win over Conwell Egan.

DeGeorge says that Eckert plays with the composure of a much older player.

“Paige is starting at center forward and that is a lot, especially in a tough league like the PCL,” Archbishop Wood coach Tom DeGeorge said. “She is doing really well and is such a smart kid and she is improving each game.”

Archbishop Wood freshman Paige Eckert scores Wood's 2nd goal as the Vikings defeat Cec 2-0 - PSD Video by DOnna Eckert

“She holds the ball and has done a good job linking up with the midfield play, opening up space for our other players,” DeGeorge said. “She can finish in the box.”

DeGeorge says that Eckert’s desire to improve is one of best attributes.

“She wants to learn, and she listens,” he said. “She is going to be a very good player in this league.”

Of the five freshmen, three are starters. The other freshman starters are center midfielder Sophia Topakas and right back Brigid Johnston.

“Sophia plays like a senior and Brigid Johnston has been playing 80 minutes a game and is doing a great job back there,” DeGeorge said.

Topakas plays a holding midfield position, behind junior standout Ava DeGeorge.

“Sophia and (sophomore) Sage (Boost) are playing behind Ava, doing a lot of the dirty work for Ava, defending and finding feet,” Tom DeGeorge said.

Two other freshmen who have seen action are Mia Casey and Macie Kennedy. It was Casey who had the key assist on an Ava DeGeorge goal that helped Wood beat Lansdale Catholic, 1-0 in an earlier showdown.

“I have five freshmen in the mix and they are doing really well,” DeGeorge said.

In that aforementioned 2-0 win over Conwell-Egan, Maddy McCloud joined Eckert in the scoring column, while Ava DeGeorge and Grace Hoeger had assists.

Lauren Greer posted the shutout in goal, her eighth of the season.

A Big Win For Archbishop Ryan

Archbishop Ryan clinched the No. 3 seed with a 2-1 overtime win over Little Flower. After a scoreless first half, Ryan took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Riley Lukah.

Little Flower sent the game into overtime with a goal late in the second half by Bella Torres.

Chelsea Ritter, one of the better players in the Catholic League, then scored the game winner in the first overtime for Ryan.

The winning Ragdolls also received a solid performance from center back Sam Pastino while goalie Alana Verello had a big game, with three breakaway saves.

Earlier, Ritter scored a hat trick as Archbishop Ryan defeated Bonner-Prendie 13-0.

#5 Chelsea Ritter, Archbishop Ryan - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix

A talented St. Hubert freshman

Another freshman standout (and overall players) in the Catholic League is St. Hubert center midfielder Luca D’Andrea.

She is among eight freshmen on this young but up and coming team.

D’Andrea has a great feel for the game, with terrific vision, a hard shot and the ball skills to distribute adeptly to teammates.

“She is a big player for us, she hustles and has a heart for the game,” St. Hubert coach Jeanette Graziosi-Hibbs said of D’Andrea. “She deeply cares and wants to win and want to play good soccer.”

Despite being a freshman, D’Andrea sets the pace for St. Hubert.

“I think when she is having a good game, the rest of us typically has a relatively good game,” Graziosi-Hibbs said. “She is of those players who brings the level up around her.”

Luca D'Andrea, St. Hubert freshman - PSD Photos by Marc Narducci

Strong in defeat

Conwell-Egan lost on Thursday to first place Archbishop Wood, 2-0. The Eagles continue to play well even in defeat.

Earlier, Conwell-Egan earned a 3-0 non-league win over Cheltenham. Lilian Dias, Connie Wojton and Gia Sparo scored the goals while Angelina Andujar earned the shutout in goal.

Non-League win for the Lions

Cardinal O’Hara earned a 3-1 non-league win over Delaware County Christian School (DCCS). All the goals were scored in the first half. Lauren Moore scored twice and Carly Coleman added the other goal. Kaelynn DiEnnis made five saves.

A lacrosse standout who also shines in soccer

Lansdale Catholic senior forward Emily Simpson only plays soccer during the high school season, but one would never know.

She is a constant offensive threat, who puts plenty of pressure on opposing defenses.

Simpson loves soccer, but lacrosse is her top sport.

She stopped playing travel soccer in sixth grade to concentrate on lacrosse. The only time she plays soccer is for Lansdale Catholic. Yet focusing on lacrosse has also paid off in a big way.

She will continue her education and lacrosse career at Bloomsburg.

“Bloomsburg made me a great offer and gave me a spot in the nursing program,” Simpson said. “I love the coach and the girls on the team.”

She also has the same feeling for her Lansdale Catholic soccer teammates. Just because she doesn’t play the sport year-round, doesn’t mean she doesn’t have passion for soccer.

Lansdale Catholic senior forward Emily Simpson - PSD Photo by Donna Eckert

With her soccer career winding down, she is enjoying each and every day for a Crusaders team that is a serious Catholic League contender.

“It’s so special to be out there, especially since I only played about three games last season due to injury,” she said. “I am so pumped up and love coming out there every day.”

Simpson is one of the catalysts on a potent offense that also includes Rhode Island commit Megan Steinbach,

“For lacrosse being her top sport, Em is fantastic,” Lansdale Catholic Coach Bree Benedict said. “The touches she gets on the ball, the glancing touches, the setups she can have because she is great at flicking the ball, she really uses her height to her advantage, and honestly, she is so positive all the time that it is infectious to our team.”

Catholic League standings (Through Thursday Oct. 13)

Archbishop Wood 7-0

Lansdale Catholic 6-1

Archbishop Ryan 5-3

Conwell Egan 4-4

Archbishop Carroll 3-3-1

St. Hubert 3-4

Little Flower 3-5

Cardinal O’Hara 2-5-1

Bonner-Prendie 0-8