South Fayette expects success in girls’ soccer
Wayne Capra has long sought to eliminate wishing from the lexicon of his South Fayette lady soccer players. That’s a positive and the results become even more evident every season.
In 2014, the Lady Lions finished runner-up to South Park in Section 5-AA with a 10-2 record. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL playoffs before falling to Yough and finishing the year at 14-5-1 overall. With 10 starters returning from that successful squad, the bar has been raised. The goals are to claim the section banner and advance deep into the playoffs in 2015.
“We need to come together as a team and build chemistry. We need to play solid defense,” said Capra of the philosophy that transferred his former clubs, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair, into champions. “We are building that toughness here at South Fayette. It takes time to ingrain that into the program so that each year returning players come into training camp expecting to win, not just hoping. It’s been a slow process but we are achieving it.”
The veterans believe they can achieve because they have already tasted some success. Five of them also enjoyed recognition for their feats. Seniors Natalie Caraway, Meghan Hoerger, Maggie Pine and Tori Valachovic as well as junior Kate Nelson garnered all-section laurels last season. Pine and Nelson were named to the all-WPIAL list, and merited honors on The Almanac’s Elite Eleven list.
Caraway returns to the nets. In goal, she recorded 11 shutouts last season. Nelson also returns in the back. Junior Sarah Rofosco and sophomore Madison Burnside also rejoin the duo on defense.
Hoerger (10 goals), Pine (eight tallies) and Valachovic (six scores) provide the firepower in the middle. Autumn Heineman and Brenna McGuire spearhead the forward line.
The Almanac’s 2014 Rookie of the Year, Heineman provided 11 goals to SF’s attack last season. McGuire pumped in eight goals.
While Gabbi Gaudagnino and Jen Byham were lost to graduation, the Lady Lions need to fill the void in the line-up caused by Corrine Loeffler’s matriculation to West Virginia Wesleyan. She was an all-section, all-WPIAL and Almanac Elite 11 performer.
South Fayette, however, has plenty of depth. A number of the returnees are experienced and will see considerable playing time, predicts Capra.
The Lions boast a strong senior class, which includes Brooke Abbatico, Brooke Hughes, Carolyn Dobis, Emily Dobis, Allison Rosborough, Gretchen Wortman, Sam Kurchena, Keri Mauro, Rachel Restivo, Carli Ciatto and Brianna Aweida. Abbatico and Hughes will be key subs for the Lions.
Anna Gagliardino, Mataya Mikesell, Isabella Nanni, Kate O’Rourke and Payton Stowe should be key contributors. All represent a large junior class that also includes Sam Doleno and Sam Kulas.
Lexie Keeling, Lexie Brown and Rachel Helbling are among the talented sophomores on the squad. The others include: Jordyn Caputo, Emily Maloney, Emily Battistone, Sam Kosmacki, Bayleigh Gaunter and Diamond Burkett.
“One of our strengths has become our increasing number of quality players. We have experience in playing higher quality opponents. We are becoming a team that has as good players on the bench as are in the match at any given time,” Capra said.
That puts the Lady Lions on an almost equal footing with rivals such as South Park and Thomas Jefferson. The Eagles, who are the defending league champions, along with the Jaguars are expected to give the Lady Lions their stiffest section competition. South Fayette’s non-league schedule includes games against Chartiers Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Bethel Park and for the first time ever Mt. Lebanon. “I feel we can now compete with those bigger schools,” Capra said. “I expect that we will be a tough, hard-nosed team that will be very hard to compete against by anybody.”
Notice how Capra didn’t say ‘hope.’ And neither will his Lady Lions.