Girls Soccer Notebook: A final touch for Pennridge’s Angelo, AACA ready to go, busy week in SOL Liberty

EAST ROCKHILL >> Maddie Angelo’s 2020 season on the field lasted about five seconds.
The Pennridge senior, sitting out the season while finishing recovery from a torn ACL, got the opportunity to put on her uniform one last time in the teams’ Senior Night win over CB East. Taking the first tap from her younger sister Tori, a freshman, Maddie then kicked the ball out of bounds and subbed out to a double high-five from coach Audrey Anderson.
An All-SOL defender, a TopDrawer Soccer preseason All-American and a Youngstown State recruit, Angelo is still very much a part of the Rams’ season while filling the role of co-captain.
“This program is something that means so much to me,” Angelo said Thursday. “This program is my life in high school and while I knew I wouldn’t be able to play this year, I’m still a captain and I wanted to make sure everyone made the most of what they’ve got.”
Angelo became a starter as a sophomore, serving as an outside back as Pennridge went to the PIAA 4A title game. Last fall, she moved in to center back and was a stalwart defensive presence as the Rams won the District 1-4A title and advanced to the PIAA semifinals.
In January, the All-SOL pick injured her knee during club soccer, meaning she would have to find a different role with her high school program. Then, COVID-19 came into the picture and suddenly, Angelo wasn’t the only one looking at a lost season.
“I knew I wasn’t going to have a season but it was still heartbreaking during the summer for the rest of the team when there was that back and forth if they would get a season or not,” Angelo said. “After hurting my knee, I tried to be that different viewpoint for everyone and told them even if they can’t play this season, they’ll always have something after it and if we do get to play, let’s make the most of it.”
Angelo admitted it’s been tough not being on the field for the 5-0 Rams, especially missing the chance to play alongside her sister for the last time. Tori Angelo has been carrying on the family legacy well, with three goals this season and an assist in Thursday’s Senior Night win but it’s not the same watching from the sideline.
At the same time, Maddie Angelo has embraced what she can give her team.
“I want to be that influence that’s always there on the sideline, hyping everyone up and getting them going,” Angelo said. “I’ll do whatever I can to help the team because I can’t be on the field with them.”
Angelo expects to be cleared next month and will be able to play a final club season before heading off to Youngstown State. Wherever she goes after this year, Angelo said she’ll still always be a Pennridge Ram.
“It’s a privilege to be on the field with as many great players as we’ve had here and also represent this program one last time,” Angelo said. “I grew up playing club with these girls, it’s eight or nine years playing with them, so to have the uniform on, be on the field and represent the program is always something I will miss.”
AACA READY TO GO >> It’s been a long wait for the seven AACA girls’ soccer programs this fall, but they will finally begin play this week.
The first slate of matches is set for Monday and fixtures will run until the second week of November. All seven teams are playing the other six AACA members twice, once at home and once away with the top squad in the table finishing as league champion.
While annual District 1 and PIAA 3A powerhouse Villa Joseph Marie again figures to be the favorite to win the league, the three Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media sides are looking to make their mark. Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Mount Saint Joseph Academy and St. Basil Academy are all replacing some key players but also counting on top returners to lead the way.
GMA graduated some cornerstone players like Mollie Hanson and Sarah White, but the Monarchs can count on dynamic forward Sam Berish, defensive rock Hailey Morris and tested keeper Grace Galbreath to hold the line for a group eager to build on last season’s improvement and supplemented by a large and skillful freshman class.
For the Mount, replacing All-AACA striker Madison Hornig and multi-year starting keeper Gina Sassane tops the list, but the Magic will also have a new voice on the sideline. Coach Bill Naydan has stepped away for the fall due to health conditions that put him at risk for COVID-19.
Former Magic standout Lisa Roman will take over and can lean on returners like Emily Friel, Cayla Higginson and Ava Picofazzi to improve on last year. Picofazzi, Emily Jones, Cam Mailey and Alex Ritter all return to give the Mount some experience in the back.
St. Basil, which has won the last four District I 2A titles, lost just three seniors but their loss will certainly be felt. Maria Storck, Lizzie Deal and Grace Comas were superb leaders who rarely subbed off the field.
Panthers coach Bob Opalka is hoping to see this year’s senior and junior class continue to develop but also believes some rising JV players and the crop of freshman can offer some surprises. Riley Scannell, Shannon Remolde, Jackie O’Brien and Maddie Carter headline some of the returning starters for St. Basil.
SEEING DOUBLE >> It’s going to be an interesting week in SOL Liberty girls’ soccer.
Due to a number of postponements in the first two weeks of the season, there will be three sets of back-to-back games between the same teams on the schedule. Abington and Wissahickon are scheduled to play Monday night at Abington, then turn around and play Tuesday night at Wiss in series that’s very important for both teams.
Plymouth Whitemarsh has them both beat. The Colonials will play two sets of home-and-home games this week, starting with a scheduled Monday-Tuesday duel with Hatboro-Horsham, the first game at H-H with Tuesday’s back at PW. From there, the Colonials will clash with Upper Dublin on the road Thursday then host the Cardinals on Friday.
Abington, which enters the week atop the table and unbeaten, will visit Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday in yet another key conference game. Their first meeting was contested in a downpour of rain, but at least it prevented them from also having to go back-to-back this week.