HS Girls’ Soccer: Veteran clubs look to challenge Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain poses with the Schuylkill League championship trophy after defeating North Schuylkill 2-0 in the 2024 girls' soccer final at the Eagles' Nest. (Photo by Leroy Boyer)
A lot of Schuylkill League girls’ soccer teams bring back a lot of talented players this season.
One of those teams is defending league champion Blue Mountain. The Eagles turned it on in the postseason in 2024, winning three league playoff games, then reaching the District 11 Class 3A championship game before falling to Pottsville. One of Blue Mountain’s goals is to win a third straight league title this fall.
They have several returning players in Hailey Scheuer, Kendall Koch, Kelly Canfield, Keira Nunemacher and Lexi Waschko, and the Eagles always seem to reload.
“We look to build on last season with only a few varsity players who graduated,” Blue Mountain coach Matt Kenitzer said.
Pottsville, Blue Mountain’s main challenger, enjoyed a banner season in 2024, winning the district championship and qualifying for the PIAA Championships before bowing out to Cocalico 1-0 in the round of 16. The Crimson Tide graduated 12 seniors but still return eight letterwinners who will have to step into leadership roles this season. Seniors Alexa Giuffre, Jes Siminitus and Julie Stock and junior Emma Quirin-Morris are among the returnees for the Tide.
“Hard to replace that many!!” Pottsville coach Bob Stock said of the graduation losses.
Elsewhere in Division I, a team on the rise is North Schuylkill. The Spartans went 17-6 a year ago and finished as league runner-up in their first-ever trip to the Schuylkill playoffs. North Schuylkill had a few other firsts, making the district playoffs and winning a district game before bowing out to eventual state champion Northwestern Lehigh.
All-State midfielder Lilah Helwig, just a sophomore, leads the way. Joining her are three all-league players: sophomore midfielders Addie Urban and Addie Balicki and junior defender Abby Klingerman.
“We return a very talented group but have to fill six starting positions, including our goalkeeper,” North Schuylkill coach Clint Warner said. “We expect a lot of growth and learning as we gain experience through this season. Despite the turnover, we expect to build on the success of last year and, once again, compete for league and district championships.”
Pine Grove returns a deep and talented roster as the Cardinals look to re-establish themselves among the top teams in the league. PGA went 10-9 last season but went 61-17-4 from 2020-23. Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Moyer, senior midfielder Hannah Aungst, senior forward Aubrey Aungst and senior defenders Myla Fasnacht and Myla Fisher lead the way. Pine Grove will have to replace All-Stater and PIAA track champion Viktorya Luckenbach, who ranked third in career goals, assists and points and is now playing at Bloomsburg University.
“Following an underwhelming 2024 season by program standards, this 2025 team is focused on a strong response,” Pine Grove coach Andrew Haas said.
Marian and Tamaqua are building up their programs as they try to climb the ladder. The Blue Raiders were decimated by injuries last season and graduated nine seniors. Twelve freshmen join a 28-player roster with just four seniors.
“The Schuylkill League is solid top to bottom so we will have our work cut out for us and just have to try to compete in every game,” said Clem McCarroll, entering his 22nd season as Tamaqua’s head coach.
In Division II, defending champion Schuylkill Haven graduated four players from last season’s 15-2-1 team, but the Hurricanes return plenty of experience and goal-scoring ability. Returning starters back in the fold include Audrey Hutchinson, Bella Murphy, Taylor Haag, Kylie Siket, Ava Terefencko, Ally Becker, Mckenna Runkle and Lilly McDonald.
“We look to win Division II and compete at a higher level playing as a hard-working team unit,” Schuylkill Haven coach Scott Burcik said.
One of Schuylkill Haven’s main challengers could be Minersville, which has started the season scoring goals in bunches. The Miners list 15 returning players, including Kloee Horoschak, Grace Sterner, Hope Motuk, Bella Rizzardi and Jenna Cullen.
Meanwhile, Tri-Valley lost nine players to graduation, including what coach Ryan Wagner called the “spine of our team” — goalkeeper Mady Schwalm, centerback Mia Artz, midfielder Joyce Burian and forward Cassi Snyder. Snyder is playing at Bloomsburg University and recently helped her Penn FC team win the U.S. Youth Soccer Club national championship for U-19 girls. The Bulldogs will turn to three seniors — forward Maggie Hoffman-Long and defenders Laila Bowman and McKayla Gilbert — to lead the way.
Williams Valley is another of those experienced teams seeking to step forward this season. The Vikings list 10 returning players, nine of them seniors. Those players include defenders Ella Kobularik, Quin Smeltz and Ireland Kasper and midfielders Mallory Miller, Delaney Bixler, Megan Perhach and Sumer Barry.
“This team has seniors who I know can lead and help develop our younger players,” first-year Williams Valley coach Allison Warren said. “I have high hopes and expectations for them this year. We have a good experienced defense, and we are hoping to get off to a strong start of the season and really compete this year and get back to the playoffs.”
