By: Mark Zimmaro
RADNOR, PA - She’s become the Golden standard of goal scoring at Archbishop Carroll High School.
On Friday, senior Sienna Golden scored her 104th career goal at St. Hubert to tie the program’s most important individual record.
She scored two that afternoon. She could have scored 12. It’s no slight to the Bambies, who are in a different stage of developing their own program, while the Patriots are perennially one of the best teams in the area.
Carroll went to work, substituted every player into the lineup, and sat the starters once the game was out of reach in a 12-0 victory.
No exceptions. Not for the best player. Not for the coach’s daughter. Who just happens to be the same person.
Goal No. 105 will have to wait for another day. It could come as soon as Tuesday at Villa Maria Academy, but no matter when the record-breaker comes, it will be another special moment shared by Sienna and her mother Deanna Golden, who took over head coaching responsibilities this season at Carroll.
“I’ve had her coach me all my life and she’s the one person that pushes me and has the most faith in me,” Sienna said of her mom. "So to have that person on the sideline with me is even better.”
Archbishop Carroll coach Deanna Golden gives instructions to her daughter Sienna Golden during a game at St. Hubert. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
Deanna was also a standout player at Carroll who eventually played at Ohio State University. Sienna followed her footsteps, or at least that’s the perception. But there was no persuasion by the former Buckeye to have her daughter travel the same road.
“I didn’t,” Deanna said. “She was a little brainwashed going up there and I encouraged her to look at other places, just to have options. It came down to Ohio State and Boston College and we never made it out to B.C. It’s what she wanted from the beginning.”
Sienna grew up an Ohio State fan and chose to remain loyal.
“My mom went there and my dad went there for a little bit so I grew up an Ohio State fan,” Sienna said. “I grew up going there and going to the games. Every time I go there and every time I see the logo, it just feels like home to me. It was definitely an easy decision.”
Archbishop Carroll senior Sienna Golden takes a shot during the Patriots' 12-0 win over St. Hubert. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
Archbishop Carroll's Sienna Golden takes advice from her mother and coach Deanna Golden. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
Before Sienna starts her next chapter at college next year, there’s still unsettled business in the high school season. Carroll is undefeated in PCL play at 4-0 and has a very large game looming against Cardinal O’Hara on Friday in a rematch of last year's PCL championship.
It’s sure to be one of those defining moments as mom and daughter take on the Lions together for the first time.
But although it seems like the perfect coaching job, Deanna put a lot of thought into whether it was the right choice to lead the defending PCL champ Patriots. Most of it centered around the relationship with her daughter.
“There were a lot of questions as to whether or not it was a good idea,” said Deanna, who is a former JV coach at Carroll. “I knew that from a standpoint, (Sienna) is a knowledgeable player. She knows a lot about the game but I know that I know more than she does. And I think it’s important as a coach to be able to know the game better than your players. It’s what they need.”
Do they butt heads?
“Sometimes,” Sienna said. “Sometimes you have to separate the mom and coach and it’s something I think I’m getting better at.”
St. Hubert enters new era
You’d think that an 0-3 start to the PCL season might have dimmed spirits at St. Hubert, but the truth couldn’t be further. The Bambies were in danger of not having a season as they were originally without a coach as deadlines neared. Madeline Alderfer, who played at Methacton High School in Eagleville, Pa. and later at Holy Cross in college, stepped in to lead the Bambies.
“I never heard about Hubert’s before this year,” Alderfer said. “But I live in Center City now and I played in college so I heard about the opening and applied.
She was met with big smiles from the team.
“The girls are excited and eager to learn,” Alderfer said. “Just coming to a school where they weren’t going to have a program, or a team this year. They thanked me for saving their team, which was nice and asked so many questions. They’re really showing their love of the game so I’m really excited to teach them and make a little bit of a difference here.”
The Bambies’ last PCL win was Sept. 18, 2019 in a 2-1 victory over Archbishop Wood. On Monday, they finally broke that streak with a 2-0 victory over Archbishop Ryan and are now 1-3 on the season.
You could see it coming. Emma Drab is proving to be a good stickhandler in transition and Faith Landis isn’t afraid to step in front of shots as the last line of defense in front of goaltender Jaelyn Miller, who has raised eyebrows around the league.
Archbishop Carroll at St. Hubert gallery. Photos by Mark Zimmaro
Archbishop Carroll at St. Hubert gallery. Photos by Mark Zimmaro
“I don’t know their history that much aside from seeing their record but parents and the refs are saying they look so much better and they look happy and a lot of improvement both mentality-wise and skill-wise,” Alderfer said. “It’s those small steps we have to take that will hopefully translate into some wins.”
Ask Me Anything
Do field hockey players have a good luck charm or a pre-game ritual?
You bet they do.
This week, I asked players from Conwell-Egan, Archbishop Carroll, Archbishop Ryan, Little Flower, Lansdale Catholic, Archbishop Wood and Cardinal O’Hara to tell us what they do to get them ready for a big game. Check out the video next-door.
Ask Me Anything - Good Luck Charms
Eagles hoping to land in the playoffs
It was a cold and wet week that saw only two PCL games played. Aside from Carroll’s lopsided win, O’Hara also put the pedal to the metal in a 10-0 rout of Conwell-Egan on Thursday.
Last year was a banner season for Conwell-Egan as it not only made the PCL playoffs for the first time since 2006, but it won a road playoff game and advanced to the semifinals. Graduation took a heavy toll on the Eagles and the team has taken a mature reassessment of its 2023 season. They’re certainly not giving up, but the Eagles know they have a much tougher road this season.
Conwell-Egan vs. Northeast High School
Conwell Egan defeated Northeast High School on Wednesday as Dakota Poland and Carlee O'Donnell each scored twice. Dakota Jurgens also scored. Photos by Mark Zimmaro
“It was a lot, losing all the seniors but I think we’re finally getting back into the swing of things,” Conwell-Egan senior Dakota Poland said after her team defeated Northeast High School, 5-1, on Wednesday. “We’re finally working on our offensive line after losing two of the seniors that were with me.”
Poland is one of five senior captains that is hoping to carry the momentum of last season’s big accomplishments and relay them to an enormous freshmen class of 14 players. She’s joined in wearing the pink captain’s band by Keira Delfin, Lauren Headley, Erin Huber and Meghan Fowler.
“It’s really an honor,” said Delfin. “I love all the freshmen and I like the responsibility and teaching them even things about Conwell-Egan academically and also how to act on the field.”
In comparison to last year’s benchmark season, the Eagles have struggled a bit in PCL play winning just once in their first four tries. Coach Jennifer Walsh said she tried to have the team not focus on what the 2022 season did.
“I think we kind of felt that pressure initially,” Walsh said. “I told the girls it’s a different season. Just be happy you were a part of that last year and that you have to make this season their own and I want them to have fun too. I don’t want them to feel like they are letting anyone down because they are certainly not. They are all part of that process.”
And although the target may have moved a bit this season, Conwell-Egan is still determined to make the playoffs for the second straight year following the 16-year absence. The Eagles are 1-3 and currently holding the sixth and final spot and would still likely find their way into the postseason with victories over winless St. Hubert and Little Flower.
Dakota Poland
Lauren Headley
Keira Delfin
PCL Field Hockey Standings (Through Oct. 2)
Archbishop Carroll 4-0
Cardinal O’Hara 4-0
Lansdale Catholic 3-0
Archbishop Wood 2-1
Bonner & Prendie 1-2
Conwell-Egan 1-3
St. Hubert 1-3
Little Flower 0-3
Archbishop Ryan 0-4
Top six teams qualify for the PCL Playoffs.