Perkiomen Valley’s Himsworth set to continue career at Louisville
From one contender to another.
A few weeks removed from winning the school’s first PAC-10 championship since 2007, midfielder Annie Himsworth wrapped up her Perkiomen Valley career by penning her name for a team that just bowed out of the national playoffs, signing her letter of intent to play field hockey at the University of Louisville.
“When I got onto campus, it just had a different feeling to it,’ said Himsworth, who also considered Michigan State before signing with the Cardinals. “I just loved the team chemistry that they had there. The coaches were great, they made me feel welcome and the facilities were the best that I had seen.’
Himsworth will enter her collegiate career undecided on what major to pursue, but will likely explore the realm of physical therapy or education.
However, what wasn’t left undecided is the indelible mark she made on the Vikings in her four-year varsity career.
Himsworth finished her career with 36 goals and 28 assists while providing excellent vision in the midfield as the Vikings rattled off winning records in all four seasons, advancing to the PAC-10 playoffs in her freshman, sophomore and senior season; winning the team’s first title since 2007 with a 2-0 victory over Owen J. Roberts this past season.
“Our team achieved some of the goals that we wanted to achieve this season, one of them was going undefeated in the PAC-10 and winning the championship,’ Himsworth said. “We did that while I worked on my goals of being in better shape, finessing my basic skills and getting a better vision of the field. I think I did that and we had a pretty successful season.’
The two-time Mercury All-Area honorable mention selection guided the team with a team-best 13 assists while finding the back of the cage 12 times as the Vikings ran roughshod over the PAC-10 en route to an undefeated 13-0 record.
Himsworth’s play in the PAC-10 playoffs was a fitting end to her stellar career as she poured in two goals in the team’s victory over Upper Perkiomen in the semifinals before tallying a critical assist in the team’s 2-0 victory over OJR in the final.
Himsworth added two assists in the team’s District 1-AAA opener against Ridley before the team fell to Council Rock North and Phoenixville in back-to-back contests to end the season.
“Sure, it was disappointing losing in districts, but the way we came together this season really made it worth it,’ Himsworth said. “I just have to thank Coach (Erik) Enters and my X-Calibur coach Brian Hope. They have been awesome. Ever since I was a freshman on varsity, Coach Enters gave me the confidence that I needed and he always wanted to see me succeed.’
Himsworth’s talent was apparent in her debut season as she torched opponents for nine goals and six assists before the team bowed out in the PAC-10 final to Owen J. Roberts. She picked up the pace her sophomore season, racking up 12 goals and six assists, again leading her team to the PAC-10 playoffs before the Vikings fell to Upper Perkiomen in the semifinals.
Now, she joins friend and Lower Dauphin forward Abby Julius on a Louisville team that finished the 2014 season 15-6 overall before falling to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.
But joining a national contender is an aspect that Himsworth coveted.
“It’ll be cool to win another title,’ Himsworth said. “I just want to get my stick skills at a top notch level for them. If I can do well during the season and then get a 3.0 or higher GPA during the school year, I’d like it.
“But I’ll never forget my time at PV. We had a great time and accomplished the goals we wanted. It was a great way to end it.’
