Conestoga hopes pain of last year’s near-miss propels them to a state title

The Conestoga High School girls’ soccer team, the defending Central League and PIAA District 1 Class 4A champion, returns the league’s most valuable player this fall, as well as a solid cast of key veterans.
So what’s the prime motivation for the 2019 edition of Pioneers?
“We really, really want to win the state championship this year, because we came so close last year,” said senior forward Caitlin Donovan, who was the Central League MVP in 2018.
After the Pioneers lost in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A state tournament last fall to District 3 third-place finisher Ephrata, 2-1, the two teams that made it to the state finals were District 1 runner-up Souderton and District 1 third-place finisher Pennridge.
“We’re really motivated to win the state championship this year,” said Donovan. “We have a lot of returning players, a lot of confident players.”
Conestoga senior wing Calista Courtney smiled and said, “We feel that we were so close to the state championship last year, that this will be the goal for us this year.”
Ben Wilson, in his fourth year as Conestoga head coach, noted, “As strong as we have been in my first three years, the roster this year really has taken a further step forward. It is [up to] me, our staff, and the players to take advantage of the talent we have. We are just trying to put our heads down every day, put in the work, steadily improve our weaknesses and strengths, and take every opponent one at a time.”
Leading the way for the Pioneers this fall is Donovan, a LaSalle University soccer commit who last year tallied 26 goals on 42 shots and dished out nine assists. She received PSCA All-State recognition, was United Soccer Coaches All-Region and United Coaches All-American. She has been the team’s leading scorer since her freshman year.
“Caitlin’s best attribute is that she has so steadily improved over the years,” said Wilson. “Even as a freshman her technical ability, 1 v 1 ability, and natural finishing were better than most players I’ve seen, but how hard she worked in the weight room with us to get physically and mentally stronger in particular has really been a key factor in rounding out her game. She is always working to improve her weaknesses and that has made her goal tally near double every season.
“Some of the goals she scores in practice and games just freeze everyone, because it is really instinctual type stuff that as a coach just really can’t be taught.”
Donovan is the younger sister of Chris Donovan, who scored 56 goals for the Pioneer boys in 2017 as they won their second consecutive PIAA state title. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania in 2018, and was a CAA All-Rookie Team selection for Drexel last fall.
“It was great playing with Chris growing up, he was so hard to keep up with,” said a smiling Caitlin.
Wilson sees Conestoga’s greatest strength this fall as the abundance of players in addition to Donovan who are able to contribute to the Pioneers’ attack.
Donovan said, “I’m surrounded by so many good players at midfield and forward, so it makes my job and Courtney’s so much easier. We’re just here to finish.”
Wilson has moved Courtney, who has been the Pioneers’ starting outside back since her freshman year, to wing.
“Seeing how effective Calista has always been in contributing to the attack from outside back, this year I figured we would just go all-out and let her run a bit higher up the field,” said Wilson. “She is explosive down the wing dribbling into space, and has the ability to mix-up her play between crossing, slotting balls, taking players 1v1, and that makes her a nightmare for outside backs to deal with. So far, in the our two scrimmages against North Penn and Avon Grove she has already notched three goals, and I think she will score and create a ton of goals for us this year.”
Courtney said, “Coach Ben stresses that, even though you might not be the leading scorer, you can help out with an assist. So being selfless, but still being able to score, is something we’re working on, so we’ll definitely all be contributing this season.”
The Pioneers have a new scoring threat this fall in senior forward McKenzie Coleman, a Villanova University soccer commit.
“McKenzie has done an awesome job so far meshing with the team, has an awesome attitude, and has a built a great chemistry with Caitlin up-top already,” said Wilson. “Her work-rate, athleticism, soccer intelligence, and finishing ability are going to give the team a great boost this year.”
Conestoga’s defense will be led by junior center back Reese Henderson, and a deep center mid lineup of juniors Sophia Koziol, Lily Weiss and Annabel Schwartz.
“Reese brings a ton of intensity to the backline,” said Wilson. “After being the young player in the line the last two years, she is now our leader back there. She is a very explosive, physical player in defense, but is equally composed and skillful in how she builds attacks for us out of the back. It has been great to see her progression over the last few years, and she will be critical in us being able to play the high-intensity, high pressure offensive system that we are this season.
“We have an abundance of center midfields options this season who are fairly interchangeable. Sophia Koziol and Lily Weiss have really hit the ground running this season after dealing with some injuries last year. They add a ton of quality in possession and are very creative in the attack.
“Annabel Schwartz was really our defensive midfield rock last year. She is maybe our most consistent player in how she reads the play defensively to stop counter-attacks and re-distribute the ball for us. She brings a lot of athleticism and toughness blended with comfortability on the ball which always helps boost a center-midfield.”
***
Downingtown East, defending Ches-Mont League champion, is returning the league’s MVP this fall in senior center back Emily Buckner.
Buckner, a first team all-state selection who was also the Daily Local News 2018 Girls Soccer Player of the Year, scored 10 goals and dished out 12 assists last fall, while scoring six goals on free kicks.
“Emily has great technical ability,” said Downingtown East head coach Craig Reed. “She sees the field really well, her range of passing is excellent – she can make all kinds of great passes, 30- 40-yard passes – and her shooting from long range is very good. She’s a great leader from the center back.”
Buckner is one of four D-East co-captains. The other three are senior back Meg Buckner (Emily’s twin sister), who received All-Ches-Mont honorable mention last fall; senior defender Katie Hudachek; and senior center back Maren Dougherty, who was a second team All-Ches-Mont selection in 2018.
Sophomore forward Caroline McDonald, a first team All-Ches-Mont selection last fall, will be another key player for the Cougars.
“Caroline is a very, very smart player who creates a lot of space with her movement and technique,” said Reed.
Senior Ashley Buchheit, who received All-Ches-Mont League honorable mention as a goalie last fall, will once again handle the Cougars’ netminding chores.
“Ashley had an excellent pre-season,” noted Reed.
Another key scoring force for the Cougars could be senior forward Rebekah March, who showed promise as a junior despite being injured part of the season.
“Rebekah can be a big-time player for us this fall,” said Reed.
Reed, whose Cougars have won five Ches-Mont titles in his 10 years as head coach, likes the depth of his team this fall.
“We were really deep last year, and we have that same depth again this fall,” said Reed. “We have 20 players on our roster, and all 20 will play a significant role in our success this season.
“We also have strong leadership on this team. Being consistent as we get deeper into the season will be our biggest challenge.”