By: Mark Zimmaro
PHILADELPHIA - Maddie Fagioli always enjoys a challenge.
The Cardinal O’Hara High School senior has been a driving force behind the field hockey team’s success over the last three seasons. After sitting out her freshman year due to an ACL tear suffered in a softball game, Fagioli has become the stable force on the Lions’ back line.
Her determination to accomplish her goals occurs both on and off the field. Fagioli also runs the Danny Hammond Dance Marathon, which raises a significant amount of money for childhood cancer. It honors Danny Hammond, who was part of O’Hara’s Class of 2010 but succumbed to cancer in 2014.
“DHDM is a year-long fundraising for childhood cancer,” Fagioli said. “At the end of the year, we do a dance where we stand for 12 hours and we reveal the total of how much we raised. Today we wore our gold shirts for the DHDM fundraiser.”
The field hockey team backs Fagioli’s mission and the team raised awareness for the marathon prior to their final PCL regular season game against Conwell-Egan, which ended up a 3-0 victory. Fagioli was heavily involved in both achievements that day.
Cardinal O'Hara senior Maddie Fagioli warms up for a game wearing her Danny Hammond Dance Marathon T-shirt. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
“She’s great,” O’Hara coach Hailie Fosbenner said. She’s a two year captain for us and she’s super involved with the school. She’s a huge leader on and off the field.”
The marathon idea originated with 2016 graduate Jeremy Fratoni and has been passed down the student body throughout the last decade. Fagioli said the school raised more than $126,000 last year. The funds help causes like Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities Appeal, Bringing Hope Home, HEADstrong Foundation, Alex's Lemonade and National Pediatric Cancer Foundation through Lions Philanthropy at Cardinal O’Hara.
The 12-hour fundraiser can be taxing. But Fagioli enjoys a challenge.
Cardinal O'Hara senior Maddie Fagioli advances the ball in a 3-0 win over Conwell-Egan. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
“Once that eighth hour hits, you really feel it in your legs but it’s great what we’re doing,” she said.
Even while hobbled with the ACL tear freshman year, Fagioli put her best foot forward to help with the effort.
“From freshman year, I was always heavily involved in it, even the smaller parts,” Fagioli said. “And I just love what they are doing for childhood cancer because I see it all over the place. My aunt’s friend’s kid, who I’m really close with, has cancer, so seeing her go through it made me want to help her in a way.”
She spends so much time with DHDM and other clubs at school that she had to sacrifice playing softball for O’Hara in the springtime, despite being a Washington College (Maryland) commit on the softball diamond.
“I’m involved in a lot of clubs at school so I thought I needed to take a break from softball and just focus on the clubs and focus on travel club,” she said.
Fagioli said she will hand the reins of the club over to junior soccer player Penny Miller before heading off to Washington College to pursue communications and media studies.
The Lions are hoping they check off another achievement before graduation. They secured the No. 2 seed in the PCL playoffs and are hoping to eventually get a rematch with Archbishop Carroll, who won the regular season meeting, 4-1.
Carroll, the top seed, has won the last four PCL championships. It will be a challenge for O’Hara if they can get there and they’ll need Fagioli at full strength.
Cardinal O'Hara tops Conwell-Egan 3-0
The Cardinal O'Hara High School field hockey team defeated Conwell-Egan, 3-0, on Oct. 15 to finish 6-1 in the PCL standings. Photos by Mark Zimmaro
“Last season she had some really bad back issues and could only give us eight minutes a quarter,”
Fosbenner said. “This year, she’s back and playing the entire game. She and Victoria (Pagliotti) are our strongest defenders. Maddie has great shots on goal and great shots out of the backfield. She’s an all-around great player.”
Not a Chicken Tender
O’Hara used three different goal scorers to defeat Conwell-Egan in the PCL regular season finale. The Eagles held tight in the first quarter and managed three penalty corners in the offensive end but couldn’t capitalize. O’Hara took charge as Anna McManus and Sophia Gosseaux struck at the other end to give the Lions a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes. Sierra Mounce added an insurance marker in the second half. It was the fourth PCL shutout for sophomore goalie Aubrey Rivet, who has been clutch in several tight divisional wins.
O'Hara goalie Aubrey Rivet prepares to face Conwell-Egan on Oct. 15. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
Victories over fellow playoff teams Archbishop Wood and Lansdale Catholic were 1-0 nail-biters. The Lions also beat Bonner & Prendie in a tight 2-1 game.
Was she scared?
“I do get nervous if the defense isn’t back and it’s just me and the other team’s forward but I like to talk to myself in my head and say ‘I got this’,” Rivet said.
Rivet started playing goalie in sixth grade although turf wasn’t her first choice.
“I always wanted to play ice hockey but it was too expensive so I decided to play field hockey,” Rivet said. “I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what I was doing but once I got used to the ball hitting my legs, I had a lot of fun.”
Rivet took over the starting goaltender position this season. It’s been an almost seamless transition.
“She’s definitely kept us in a lot of games,” Fosbenner said. “She makes great saves. She’s a little bit on the quiet side but is starting to find her voice this year and it’s really awesome to see. You see her speaking up now in practice on what she sees.”
Victoria Pagliotti avoids getting hit with the ball in a game against Conwell-Egan. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
This Lion Doesn't Sleep
Cardinal O’Hara sophomore defensive-mid Victoria Pagliotti is seemingly everywhere. Someday, we’ll wish we could have tracked how many steps or miles she surpassed during an average game. If you are a bettor, take the over.
“I play all year round and I run almost every day,” Pagliotti said. “Just a couple of miles.”Pagliotti can both score and defend. She fits in nicely to a team that has a lot of players that can play at both ends of the field.
There’s also a lot of chemistry.
“I think we are a fun team and we all like each other,” Pagliotti said. “We just work well together.”
Not Taken for Granted
Speaking of keeping the ball out of the net, Archbishop Carroll’s Emma Grant is one of only five returning 2024 First-Team All Catholic selections. As central defender on a high powered offensive team, Grant doesn’t often get in the mix of goal scoring, but her play is extremely effective in keeping opponents off the board.
“I love staying back there to be everyone’s protection,” Grant said. “If the ball gets through, I’m back there. They are protected and it’s me and (goalie) Fiona (Conboy) back there.”
Grant committed to play at Washington College in Maryland next year and will study business.
“I really liked the team chemistry and the team atmosphere,” Grant said. “It reminds me of my Carroll girls and it really felt like home.”
Archbishop Carroll's Emma Grant patrols the back line. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
A Song That Makes You Happy....
It’s a simple question this week in "Ask Me Anything" as we ask our talented high school field hockey players: What song just makes you happy?
We went a bunch of different directions in this one and props to Cardinal O’Hara goalie Aubrey Rivet on naming a tune I’ve actually heard of. Rock on!
Also a nod to Archbishop Carroll's Lucy Sedgwick and Lansdale Catholic's Avery Lesher picked the same exact song -- and it's one that was recorded 21 years ago. Crazy, right?
All in all, there were no wrong answers in this one.
Ask Me Anything
Friendly Fire
The Philadelphia Catholic League and the Friends School League have clashed 12 times this season in inter-league play and the Catholics came out looking pretty good with a 7-4-1 advantage, albeit a small sample size advantage through random matchups. Archbishop Wood had the heaviest schedule, playing five of the seven FSL teams this year and compiling a 3-1 record.
Wood's overtime victory over Westtown was a significant one as the Moose are currently in second place in their league and scored victories over Conwell-Egan and Lansdale Catholic. Here’s hoping to see more PCL-FSL matchups in the future or maybe even a mini in-season tournament? A postseason senior all-star game matching league against league would also be kinda cool. We can dream, can’t we?
PCL Field Hockey Standings Through Oct. 16
Archbishop Carroll (6-0)
Cardinal O’Hara (6-1)
Archbishop Wood (4-2)
Bonner & Prendie (4-3)
Lansdale Catholic (4-3)
Conwell-Egan (2-5)
Archbishop Ryan (0-6-1)
St. Hubert (0-6-1)