Council Rock South seniors take game to next level
Kasey Schlupp – Philadelphia University Women’s Soccer
College Soccer starts at 7 p.m. today (Aug. 31) for recent Council Rock South graduate Kasey Schlupp.
A four-year varsity player, senior captain and defender for the Golden Hawks, Schlupp also considered Temple and West Chester but committed to Philadelphia University during her sophomore year in high school for several reasons.
“I wanted to be close to home because I’m really close with my family,” she said. “PhillyU is nice and close and it has competitive soccer, which I like, and I’ll get a good education, which I need.”
HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: Schlupp scored both goals on Senior Night in the Hawks’ 2-0 win over sister school CR North.
“I have some of my closest friends here. I played with them growing up. Playing in high school these last four years has been really special. It’s really helped me as a player.”
Mary Kate Simpson – Iona Women’s Lacrosse
Mary Kate Simpson also considered High Point, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart but selected Iona College, in New Rochelle, N.Y. as the place where she will continue her career in lacrosse.
“It was the perfect place,” she said. “It was small enough that I felt like I wasn’t just another student or another statistic in a class of 400.
“They also have a really competitive lacrosse program there.”
However, academics come first at Iona, she says.
“At most schools, especially Division 1, you skip classes to go to practice. At Iona, you skip practice to go to class, and that’s what I liked.
HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: Having Madison Hurwitz as her head coach her senior year in high school. Hurwitz was Simpson’s club coach in elementary school.
Growth moments for Simpson at South included the two years she was co-captain of the team.
“Captains are held to a higher standard so I really had to step up to the occasion – use my voice to not just focus on what I could do to better my team skill-wise, but also what I can do for them, on and off the field.”
Last season, Simpson notched 17 goals, one assist, five draw controls and 33 ground balls. While Mary Kate played both defense and attack at CR South, she will play in the backfield at Iona.
Jenna Fox – West Chester Women’s Swimming
Jenna Fox also considered Nova Southeastern (Fort Lauderdale) and Florida Atlantic (Boca Raton) but picked West Chester for its proximity to home.
“I realized I didn’t want to go as far as Florida,” Fox said. “I took trips there but after I took my trip to West Chester, I realized that I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.
“The girls on the team are great, the coach is amazing and I just loved the campus.”
Fox wants to major in business and it just so happens that the university recently completed building a new facility for its College of Business and Public Management.
While Fox swam for three years at Lower Moreland Swim & Dive team, she decided to come out for CR South swimming as a senior.
“My previous years, I was really focused on improving my times so that colleges would look at me and club swimming was more important at the time. Once I committed, I decided I would swim high school.”
HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: During Fox’s final season, the Hawks topped Pennsbury for the first time in school history. The meet with the Falcons came down to the final event – the 400 free relay in which Fox is the anchor swimmer.
Fox’s specialties include the 100 breaststroke (1:08.98) and 500 freestyle. She qualified for districts as a senior in both events.
TOP PHOTO: Recent Council Rock South graduate Kasey Schlupp, right and inset, battles Kayla Robinson in a 2016 matchup for the Golden Hawks. She works the backfield now at Jefferson University. (John Gleeson – 21st-Century Media)
