Daily Local News All-Area Girls Soccer Teams
First Team
F – CARLY CATANIA, Jr., Villa Maria – Catania racked up 11 goals this season along with seven assists. She was a first-team All-AACA pick on the season. She teamed with player of the year Kaelyn Wolf to make a formidable scoring front line.
F – MADISON SHUMATE, Jr., Downingtown East – The Ches-Mont League National Player of the Year is a repeat performer on the first team. Shumate has a knack for scoring goals and can be a threat from the forward or midfield positions. She fashioned another season with double-digit goals. Shumate repeated All-Southeastern Pa and All-State selections.
F – MARYKATE WALKER, Jr., Avon Grove – The junior was the leading scorer for the Ches-Mont National Division champions. She led the team in scoring with 13 goals and eight assists. Among her goals were a pair against Conestoga in a 2-0 victory. Walker was runner-up in the National Division MVP votingand an All-Southeastern PA. selection. “She was a dominant presence in the middle and up top,” said coach Christian Dunn. “But it was her work rate that really set her apart. She constantly won 50/50 balls, challenged opponents in the midfield, won tackles and used her strength, speed, and skill to attack and put pressure on defenses. MK exemplifies the combination of excellence and determination we hope to model in our program.” Walker committed to Sacred Heart University.
F – BRYNN BORGER, Sr., Conestoga – The senior was a key cog for the Pioneers, racking up 14 goals and 11 assists. A number of those goals came in crucial situations. The striker also saw time in central midfield. Borger was a Honorable Mention selection on last year’s All-Area team.
M – KARLY MURLLESS Sr., Downingtown East – An attacking central midfielder, the senior was on of the driving parts for the Cougars’ offensive engine. She was a first-team All-Ches-Mont League National Division selection. She committed to the University of Pennsylvania.
M – KEIRA KEMMERLEY, Soph., Conestoga -The sophomore recorded eight goals and seven assists despite missing five games from injury. She recorded a pair of game-winning goals and was able to be one of the key distributors out of midfield.
M – LANIE KLAPAC, Sr., Downingtown West – Klapac was equally adept in the midfield and upfront. She reached double-digits in goals with 10 and added three assists. She was named the team’s Offensive MVP. “Her fitness level is off the charts, and she rarely came off the field,” said West coach Megan Brogan. “She’s tough to defend as she can shoot from distance or take opponents on one v. one. She has a strong foot from distance, taking most of our restarts and all corners. She’s a four-year varsity player with a work ethic all players should emulate.”
M – ELLIE KEEFER, Sr., West Chester Rustin – Capped a busy and successful fall by repeating on the All-Area team. Keefer was also named the DLN Cross Country Runner of the Year. The attacking midfielder was a four-starter and the team’s captain. She was the leading scorer on the team.
M – LAUREN REIMOLD, Sr., Downingtown East – A repeat selection to the All-Area team, Reimold is a versatile midfielder who is strong both offensively and defensively. She posessed a strong foot that mad her dangerous from distance. She will attend West Chester University in the fall. Among her better games this season, she scored a pair of goals in a 3-2 victory over Downingtown West.
D – EDEN VEENEMA, Jr., Avon Grove – The junior was part of a defense that had 12 shutouts on the season as they went through the Ches-Mont unbeaten. She can also contribute on the other end of the field as witnessed by her three goals and three assists. A first-team All-Ches-Mont pick, Veenema was assigned to mark the other team’s top striker and more often than not, shut them down. “Eden was a dominant defender all season long as part of a defense that only allowed eight goals and recorded 12 shutouts,” said coach Christian Dunn. “She routinely worked strikers off the ball with her strength, high soccer IQ and technical ability. She was dangerous on set pieces as both a server and a finisher.” Already committed to Penn.
D – AVA RIGHTMIRE, Sr., Downingtown West – Center back has been a stalwart for the Whippets for a number of seasons. She is a four-year starter and was a captain this season. She finished the year with four goals and nine assists. Rightmire was the team’s defensive MVP and scored the game-winnning goal in the first round of districts against Perk Valley. “She is a center back with great vision and ability to get forward into the attack,” said West coach Megan Brogan. “Great out of the air with speed and vision.”
D – HOPE DONNELLY, Sr., West Chester Rustin – A four-year starter on defense, Donnelly was selected to the All-Ches-Mont first team. She was also picked for the All-Southeastern Pa squad. Gonnelly helped anchor a defense that was instrumental in Rustin winning the Ches-Mont American Division title.
G – GRETA STEEGE, Jr., Conestoga – Backstopped a defense that racked up 16 shutouts. A consummate shot stopper, she helped organized a stingy defense and was also able to distribute the ball to kickstart the Pioneers’ offense.
Second Team
F – Madelyne Grigalonis, Jr., Bishop Shanahan
F – Sydney Correll, Jr., Avon Grove
F – Kate Kemmerley, Fr., Villa Maria
F – Molly Smeins, Sr., West Chester East
M – Morgan Chiazza, Jr., West Chester Henderson
M – Abby MacDonald, Jr., Avon Grove
M – Brynn Dempsey, Sr., Great Valley
M – Molly McCann, Sr., Unionville
D – Abby Mills, Sr., Avon Grove
D – Ella Jahromi, Soph., Downingtown West
D – Melissa Eaglehouse, Sr., Bishop Shanahan
D – Gabi Kobi, Sr., Downingtown East
G – Kaleyn Phouthavongsa, Soph., Oxford
G – Emma Moss, Sr., Avon Grove
Honorable Mention
Avon Grove: Grace Keen, Sr. Bishop Shanahan: Sage Baillargeon, Jr. Coatesville: Riley Kinzeler, Jr.; Marissa Walker, Soph. Downingtown East: Karly Murlless Sr. Downingtown West: Lily Pitcherella, Jr.; Hailey Coyle, Sr.; Kylie Seckinger, Sr. Great Valley: Caroline Oswald, Sr.; Abby Diamond, Fr.; Megan Stairs, Sr.; Sydney Phillips, Sr. Kennett: Clair Harper, Sr.; Emma Davies, Sr. Oxford: Alyssa Welhaf, Sr; Olivia Voss, Sr. Unionville: Sarah Borlie, Sr.; Maya Bruce, Soph.; Alexis Tryon, Sr.; Riley Angstadt, Sr. Villa Maria: Maddie Catania, Sr; Delaney Dobra, Sr. West Chester Henderson:- Olivia Bradley, Sr.; Maura Fisher, Soph.; Becca Miller, Sr. West Chester Rustin: Jordyn Krafchick, Soph.; Amelia Foore, Jr.; Sarah Johnston, Jr.
Coach of the Year
Ken Schmidt, Bishop Shanahan – Shanahan had a dream run through the District 1 3A playoffs under Schmidt’s tutelage. They finished fifth in the Ches-Mont League National Division, even though they were above the .500 mark at 6-4-2. They started the playoffs as the sixth seed with an 1-0 victory over Strath Haven. The Eagles followed that with an epic 2-1 win over Villa Joseph Marie in penalty kicks in the semifinals. In the finals, they gave then-undefeated Upper Perkiomen all they could handle, before falling, 1-0. They also gave Cardinal O’Hara a battle in the state playoffs, before being eliminated.
“They were working hard since the August heat,” said Schmidt. “We graduated six seniors from last year and we had to find people to fill those gaps. My assistants, Ian McBrearty and Nicole Gingrich, worked to give them belief that they could win and they believed in themselves.
“I’ll watch the Villa Joe tape for years to come when I want to put a smile on my face. Sage’s (goalkeeper Baillargeon) performance, stopping a penalty kick in overtime and three more in kicks, will always be special.”
