NT soccer teams seek usual success

By Joe Kraus

NORTH TONAWANDA – As recently as last month, the chances of high school sports across Section VI looked to be slim to none.

But now with the first day of practice this week and games starting in mere days, North Tonawanda varsity soccer players are feeling grateful. They know that some of their classmates are still waiting for their sports to return in spring of 2021 due to COVID-19 guidelines.

“It’s going to be especially important this year to really appreciate each other and the opportunity to play,” said Lady Jacks head coach Hannah Crouch. “As tough as it may be, we get to be out there playing a game we love. We just have to remember how lucky we are for that.”

Last season, the Lady Jacks finished 15-3, clinched their first Niagara Frontier League title since 1985 and ended in the Section VI Class A-1 finals before falling to Hamburg in their first sectional championship game since 2007.

That team graduated eight seniors, including six starters, but Crouch said the program has reloaded this fall.

“I think some of our current players are looking forward to stepping up and showing that we were an extremely deep team beyond those (senior) players,” said Crouch, who is entering her fifth season. “Our team still has a ton of talent and potential and I think these younger players have a lot to prove… I look forward to seeing what we can do together this season – whatever the season may look like.”

Top returners include senior fifth-year letterman Jessica Hanes, senior goalkeeper Jessica Tyrell and the offensive tandem of juniors Kylie Miranto and Kaylee Valentic.

Crouch described Hanes as a “natural leader on and off the field” while Tyrell had an .848 save percentage her junior campaign.

Valentic, a 2019 All-NFL first team and All-WNY Honorable Mention selection, scored eight goals while Miranto scored 19 goals, the second-best on the team. Senior Olivia Annunziato and a host of veteran underclassmen return to the Lady Jacks’ depth-heavy roster.

On the boys side, the Jacks look to move forward following the graduation of 10 seniors from last year’s team that went 14-4 and lost in the Class A-1 semifinals.

“Although this season will look different, we are thankful to play the game we all love,” said fourth-year head coach Rob Brocklehurst.

Leading the Lumberjacks is senior mid-fielder JP Barone. The lone returning captain, Barone scored eight goals last season and has been a leader on and off the pitch since he and Brocklehurst first met six years ago at the JV level when he was a seventh grader.

Fellow senior Nick Sciandra hopes to remain healthy and show off his speed as a mid-fielder after missing most of last season due to injury. And Brocklehurst called senior Chris Lyons a “heads-up player, who knows the right place to be at the right time.”

Ben Grawe and Max Waliszewski will lead the defense and sophomore Jaedon Zalewski will serve as goalkeeper.

“I look forward to seeing the NFL begin play as well as all the teams and other coaches that make this league great,” Brocklehurst said.

With new protocols in place this season, Crouch said that team unity is simply a must this fall.

“It’s going to be important that we are all really open and communicate well with each other,” said Crouch. “Each kid is going to have their own level of comfort with this season and its important we are all cognizant of how those around us are feeling.”

Joe Kraus is a freelance writer and Daemen College graduate student whose work has appeared in the Twin Cities Sun and other local publications in Western New York. If you have any comments or an idea for a future story, please send to joekrausnt@gmail.com

Lady Jacks’ stellar season ends in finals heartbreaker

 

 

*** As seen in Twin Cities Sun, Nov. 8, 2019 edition *** 

Don’t be sad because the journey’s over; be glad that it happened.

That was the sentiment the North Tonawanda girls soccer team shared on the bus ride back to the Lumberyard one last time this season.

Thanks to a goal from senior Laura Bogner just 90 seconds into the contest, the Hamburg Bulldogs ended the Lady Jacks’ season with a 3-0 victory Saturday in the Section VI Class A-1 finals at Williamsville East High School.

Hamburg scored its first goal off a turnover inside the NT defensive zone and Bogner’s swift kick sailed over freshman Bella Hooley into the right corner of the net. Bogner struck again in the 10th minute off a free kick, and that was too big of a hole for the Lady Jacks to escape.

“When you go down by a goal a minute-and-a-half into the championship game, that emotion starts to overwhelm you,” said NT assistant coach Steve Sabo. “And then getting that second goal pretty much the same way off a free kick… If you look at the even strength play when there wasn’t a free kick coming in, we ran with them pretty well. We just didn’t get the result that we wanted to get.”

With a 2-0 lead at the start of the second half, the Bulldogs put the icing on the cake in the 53^rd minute when junior co-captain Maddie Ingraham received a pass from teammate Claire Danyluk, zig-and-zagged and then booted a goal from 15 yards to put the game out of reach.

Winning their first sectional title since clinching the Class A crown in 1992, long-time Hamburg coach Tom Zugger said it was a credit to the old adage of defense wins the games.

“We’ve always focused on our defensive side than our attacking side and we prefer to win the game 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 instead of being in a shootout,” said Zugger, whose team was then eliminated Tuesday by A-2 champion Grand Island in the Class A crossover finals.  “Our defense has really been solid this year and they stayed in their positions and helped each other… It would’ve been a different game if they scored the first goal. Scoring first is critically important. It gave us the motivation that we needed.”

Entering the contest averaging 5.6 goals per game (95 total), NT’s offensive firepower was held to only one shot on net against Bulldogs goalkeeper Alayna Godios due to the nagging pressure from mid-field and in their own zone.

“You didn’t see that physicality in the Niagara Frontier League,” Sabo said. “That was a very physical game. They double-teamed every opportunity they could in the attacking third. When they first double you, that second person is there to shoulder you off the ball.”

 

 

Despite the loss, the Lady Jacks (shown above after the T-NT Cup game last month) finished the 2019 campaign with a 15-3 record, won the program’s first league title since 1985 and made their first championship appearance since going back-to-back in the 2006 and 2007 Class AA finals – the latter when the current eight seniors were in kindergarten.

“I feel that we exceeded our expectations and I am so proud of all of us for how well we did this season,” said senior forward Macey Gioeli, who led the NFL in points (50) and tied the league-high of 20 goals. “Winning the NFL championship was the best feeling and I know that I will never forget it. I’m sad it’s over be we had a great season.”

 

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Miranto’s hat trick lifts Lady Jacks to seventh straight T-NT Cup

 

*** As seen in Twin Cities Sun, October 18, 2019 edition ***

Sometimes the adrenaline from the rivalry game is itself enough to carry a team to victory. That was certainly the case for the North Tonawanda Lady Jacks on Oct. 12 against Tonawanda at Clinton Small Stadium.

After a scoreless first half against the Lady Warriors, NT sophomore Kylie Miranto took the matter into her own hands by scoring goals in the 53^rd, 55^th and 62^nd minutes securing a 3-0 win and keep the T-NT Cup on the Lady Jacks’ side for a seventh straight year.

North Tonawanda head coach Hannah Crouch knew the Lady Jacks were likely fatigued – they had just completed a 1-0 overtime loss against Niagara-Wheatfield the night before with most of the starters playing all 100 minutes. Her message at halftime was simple yet to the point.

“At halftime, I really challenged them and said that we needed that person to step up and pick up the intensity,” said Crouch.

Miranto put her coach’s advice to good use.

After the Lady Jacks pressured Tonawanda at midfield, the forward received a pass from senior Emily Hooley and sprinted down the right sideline with a kick over the head of Tonawanda sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Aceti for the 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later, Miranto scored again – this time unassisted – off a shot that ricocheted off the left goalpost and into the net. Her third goal a few minutes later came off an assist from Kirsten Ferree.

Miranto’s scoring frenzy, Crouch said, was the spark the team needed on such short rest.

“Kylie came out in the second half and came out guns-a-blazing,” Crouch said. “It was really great to see her take that challenge, put it on her back and say, ‘I’m going to be this person.’ Especially being a sophomore, it’s her third year on varsity but she’s still a young player and showed really good leadership in that second half.”

“In the first half, we seemed slow and almost tired,” said Miranto, who was selected as the NT MVP of the game. “But in the second half, we picked it up. We just took our shots. On that second goal, you just have to follow your shot and rebounds are everything.”

Before the scoring outburst, both teams played chess instead of checkers as the defensive units prevented the opposing offenses from pressuring Aceti and North Tonawanda junior netminder Jessica Tyrell except for NT’s two shots in the eighth minute that hit the crossbar.

Tonawanda gained some momentum offensively late in the second half, as freshman Madison Kramer and Tonawanda’s MVP of the game Baylin Tighe got some touches – but the damage was already done.

Despite the loss, first-year Tonawanda head coach Nate Holler said the game was a great experience as facing the cross-town rival was a feat he wasn’t able to accomplish during his own time with the Warriors boys soccer program.

“My girls were up for a battle,” Holler said. “It seemed we frustrated North Tonawanda for a little bit. They couldn’t really get through us but we also couldn’t really get forward as well… (Kylie) really took the game by the scruff of the neck and really just put it away for North Tonawanda… Now we just have to get back to practice and try to correct things before sectionals.”

Not only does the T-NT Cup stay in the Lumberyard for another year, the streak, which started in 2013 – continues on for at least another year as the graduating seniors pass the baton to the returning underclassmen before making one last post-season run later this month.

“The eight seniors are now in their fourth year with (T-NT) and they get it and now it’s awesome to see the younger players pick up right where the seniors are leaving off,” Crouch said. “To see them “The seniors, they felt the disappointing loss last year (against Niagara-Wheatfield in Class A-1 quarterfinals) and they don’t want to feel that way again this year. It’s great to see that they’re stepping up and coming together and showing the younger ones what it’s all about.”

 

Following the T-NT Cup victory, the Lady Jacks took a road trip over the bridge and came back as Niagara Frontier League champions. Thanks to Kaia O’Rourke’s goal in the 71st minute of regulation moments after Grand Island’s goal was waved off, the Lady Jacks clinched their first NFL title since 1985 with a 2-1 victory over the Lady Vikings on Oct. 16. Macey Gioeli started off the scoring for the Lady Jacks with a goal in the 17th minute, her team-high 18th goal of the season. The victory snapped Grand Island’s 85-game winning streak against league foes – and their last loss before this also came against NT in 2013, a 3-2 overtime finish.

 

To put into perspective, here’s what was going on in 1985:

Gallon of gas $1.09

Movie ticket $2.75

The famous Route 66 is removed from the United States Highway System

Kay Stevenson and Hank Bullough coached the Buffalo Bills to a combined 2-14 season. Marv Levy took over midway through the 1986 season and… I think we all know how well the next decade turned out to be for this team, right?

Back to the Future, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rocky IV among others at box office

 

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NT soccer teams feel the heat with high expectations

Lady Jacks senior forward and Twin Cities Sun’s NT Female Athlete of the Year Bella Finley is part of senior core ready to compete for NFL title in 2019 (Courtesy of the Finley family)

*** As seen in Twin Cities Sun, August 30, 2019 edition ***

At the start of tryouts last week, the weather wasn’t the only scorching challenge the North Tonawanda soccer programs had to deal with.

There was also a burning urgency from the upperclassmen who are realizing the clock is ticking on their careers in the red and blue.

“Last season, I feel that we had a little bit of a setback,” said Lady Jacks senior forward Macey Gioeli. “We were on-and-off – had some good games and some bad games. I feel that this year is going to be a good year.”

The same may have been true of the NT boys’ team.

“It’s time for me to step up as well as the other juniors and seniors,” said Lumberjacks junior forward Nick Sciandra.

Both teams finished in the Class A-1 quarterfinals after slow starts, with the girls being eliminated by Niagara-Wheatfield and the boys getting knocked off by Hamburg.

Lady Jacks head coach Hannah Crouch and Lumberjacks head coach Rob Brocklehurst both said crucial opportunities were wasted, but the past errors are now erased.

“Last season, we dropped a couple games that we really should’ve taken and once they kind of saw that they can’t just lay back and rest on their laurels, they really started played, which was really nice to see,” said Crouch, now in her third season at the varsity level. “We had a really good stretch in the second half of the season and we’re really looking to carry that success to this year.”

“It’s just like going into September with a new school year,” said Brocklehurst, whose team must replace eight seniors – including All-Niagrara Frontier League goalkeeper Carson Essenburg – this season. “Everybody’s got an opportunity to make a first impression and you get to hit that reset button. We’re looking forward to seeing what the starting 11 shakes up to be and we’re ready to see what the next five off the bench can bring too.”

Senior defenseman Casey Rogers, junior forward JP Barone and senior goaltender Cameron Raines – the JV starter last season – are also expected to have big roles this season.

For most of the the Lady Jacks, this will be their last run with Crouch as their head coach after their journeys together began six years ago at the JV level.

While long-timers Samantha DalPorto, Bridget Wilson and Olivia Hooley all graduated, the talent machine keeps producing. Joining the Sun’s NT Female Athlete of the Year Bella Finley (team-high 18 goals) offensively again are the sophomore duo Kaylee Valentic and Kylie Miranto. As freshmen, the phenoms combined for 19 goals and 11 assists (49 points).

Additionally, Crouch predicts Gioeli – who had a team-high 8 assists last season – will be “a monster up top this year.”

Seniors Elizabeth Ambrusko and Emily Barone and junior Jessica Hanes will serve as co-captains on the defensive front while underclassmen Kasey Miranto, Emily Zander and Brooke Barone are offensive threats.

In net, junior Jessica Tyrell – who had seven shutouts in 2018 – and freshman Bella Hooley will see time as Crouch said they have separate but unique skill-sets.

“The expectations are through the roof,” Crouch said. “Skill-wise, knowledge, we got it. I don’t see a reason why we can’t finish at the top. We’ll see how the girls mesh and how we do.”

The Lady Jacks must wait until Tuesday to kick off theri season when they host Lockport, while the boys – already 1-0 after beating Kenmore West this week – will play in this weekend’s Dan Durick Memorial Tournament at Tonawanda High School.

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Finley is 2019 NT Female Athlete of the Year

 

Bella Finley (left, #27) made her presence known in front of the net on a regular basis for Lady Jacks Soccer this fall. The junior forward and All-NFL 1st Team selection won the 2019 NT Female Athlete of the Year.

(Picture courtesy of Finley family)

*** As seen in Tonawanda Sun, June 21, 2019 edition *** 

Iconic U.S. women’s soccer player Mia Hamm once said:

“Good players create opportunities. The great players and the great people seize them.”

She wasn’t playing yet when Hamm retired in 2004 but the quote could also describe North Tonawanda’s girls’ soccer forward Bella Finley and her effortless attack towards the net by simply using her head – which helped the junior win The Sun’s 2019 NT Female Athlete of the Year award.

“Bella just has a knack at finding the ball in the air,” Lady Jacks soccer coach Hannah Crouch said in November. “If you see a ball go in the air, you say, ‘Bella’s got this. It’s a header.’ Most of the time she does. She’s bigger and taller and stronger than most players out on the field. She just finds the net. She has a knack for it.”

A Niagara Frontier League First Team selection, Finley scored a team-high 18 goals (second most in league) with 5 assists (41 points total). In 2018, the Lady Jacks finished 9-7-1 record and were fourth in NFL play before being eliminated by Niagara-Wheatfield in the playoffs. Her success this season, Finley said, came from her inner drive to experiment and apply new aspects to her game.

“I’m definitely striving to be better every day and helping those around me to be the best they can be as well,” the three-year letterman said last week. “I like to just try new things and shoot from different places because you never really know. You can shoot 35 yards out and if the keeper doesn’t have good hands, it can go in. It’s always good to try something new.”

 

By continuing to advance as both a player and leader, Finley is well on her way to becoming one of the best forwards in Lady Jacks Soccer program history. Finley crossed the 100-point mark for her career with a two-goal performance in NT’s 3-2 overtime loss to Kenmore East on Sept. 20. Finley heads into her senior year with 46 goals and 14 assists (106 total points).

(Picture courtesy of Finley family)

Finley’s determination did not go unnoticed as shown in the final Twitter poll for this award released earlier this month. Out of 142 votes, Finley, who represented the fall season, received 35% of the final vote, just beating out NT Softball senior Laney Wieclaw (spring) at 31%. Girls basketball sophomore Paige Book (winter) and outdoor track junior Ava Wojtaszek (Spring) rounded out the rare four-way race with 17% apiece.

Finley joins former Lady Jacks volleyball standout Julie Milbrand, who also won as a junior in 2016. While this year was the most challenging academically, Finley said junior year was her favorite season so far wearing number 27.

“Any chance you get to relieve stress and play something, you thrive, and you do the best you possibly can because it’s your time that you’re not stressed or thinking about schoolwork or college or the future or anything like that,” Finley said. “I had a really good team supporting me this year. A lot of good players around me.”

Growing into her leadership this year was another attribute others observed observed. With the freshman tandem of Kylie Miranto and Kaylee Valentic on each side as fellow forwards, Finley made sure to bring them under her wing after being in their exact shoes just two years earlier.

“I just wanted (Kylie and Kaylee) to know, that no matter their size or ability – which they are really good – they would be able to compete at the varsity level and do well there,” Finley said. “I just wanted to support them and be a positive influence for them, especially the younger girls that we did have an opportunity to have a really great season and we did.”

 

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NT Soccer’s Hooley commits to Niagara University

 

 

*** As seen in Tonawanda Sun, Dec. 21, 2018 edition *** 

 

When she signed her name on her commitment letter to Niagara University, North Tonawanda senior Olivia Hooley expressed both relief and excitement with a big smile on her face.

“I’m excited,” she said. “It’s finally official.”

In front of family and administration, the NT Soccer star signed her National Letter of Intent with the Purple Eagles on Monday in the school library. Beside her for the signing were her parents, Joe and Erin, and her younger sister, Bella. She also has an older brother, Dan.

Over the course of a five-year career (she played with U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy during junior year in 2017-18), Hooley was a solid defenseman and mid-fielder for the Lady Jacks. She had six goals and 14 assists for 26 points and was a part of the program’s 13-win season in 2013 as a seventh grader and an 11-win team as a sophomore.

Hooley’s main reason for choosing Niagara University was because it offered a great nursing program. When the college offered her a chance to continue her soccer career, it was an extra bonus.

“I really wanted to go for a nursing program,” she said. “That’s what I’ve wanted to do since forever. So when they actually wanted me to play soccer there, it was kind of cool.”

NT head coach Hannah Crouch knew Hooley was going to be a special player when she was the junior varsity coach in 2013; she was glad that they were able to team up one final time this past fall.

“Olivia’s got a great personality on the field and off,” the third-year coach said. “She’s one of those kids that’s always there for her teammates helping them out, regardless of what’s happening on the field. She’s always that positive voice of reason and rallies the troops when we needed it. It’s been awesome to have her.”

Also on hand for the occasion was interim athletic director Cynthia Bullis. Before retiring in 2016, Bullis was NT’s athletic director while Hooley was just beginning her career and during her successful high school run.

A fellow Niagara University Alum, Bullis said Hooley’s determination to succeed is what made her stand out and that she’ll be a positive example for the athletic program’s future.

“It’s so nice to see kids that do the right thing. And the kids that put the hard work in and the time in – it pays off,” she said. “I just loved watching her play because she was ‘go-go-go.’ She never stopped. She just hustled for everything and she always had that competitiveness in her, even as a seventh grader. She wanted to win but she did it with grace. It was always a positive way of doing it and that’s what’s I remember of her as a youngster, just coming in and never stopped playing. The drive that she has is amazing.”

Hooley looks to take that drive to what Purple Eagles fans refer to as “up on the ridge” in Lewiston and contribute to a Purple Eagles program that finished with 10 wins in 2018.

Hooley hopes that the future players – who she jokingly referred to as the “little guys” – can find enjoyment in the sport for as long as she did.

“I just hope that they all try to, not even play college soccer, but keep playing and stay in the sport because it’s so cool of what the sport does for everybody.”

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NT soccer programs look to build chemistry during the offseason

 

 

*** As seen in Tonawanda Sun, Nov. 2, 2018 edition *** 

After slow starts to the 2018 campaign, the boys and girls soccer programs at North Tonawanda rebounded with strong second halves to finish in the middle of the pack of the Niagara Frontier League.

The Lady Jacks went 9-7-1 and were fourth in NFL play before being eliminated in the Class A-1 quarterfinals in a 2-1 loss to Niagara-Wheatfield on Oct. 18. After defeating Sweet Home 1-0 in the pre-quarterfinals on Oct. 15, the Lumberjacks were eliminated by Hamburg, 3-1, in the Class A-1 quarterfinals on Oct. 17 and finished with a 9-8-1 record (5-7-1 in Niagara Division).

Lady Jacks head coach Hannah Crouch and Jacks head coach Rob Brocklehurst shared the common theme of progression.

“Overall, we had a pretty good season,” Crouch said. “I don’t think that we lived up to the expectations that we had for ourselves but I do think we had a couple of pretty big wins and I thought that we played hard throughout the whole season.”

Brocklehurst, meanwhile, said the past four seasons in the program – working with the senior core since its freshman year on JV –  has been quite a journey.

“To look back at our stellar year last season and this season finding a lot of success, I’m proud of the work that we collectively did and I’m happy to have been a part of the soccer experience for all of these fine young men,” he said.

The Lady Jacks had a big question mark in goal heading into the regular season but found their answer in Jessica Tyrell.

The sophomore was inserted into the lineup around the third week of the season and finished with 7 shutouts and 69 saves, providing stability in net and a chance for the offense to spread out and score.

“Her work ethic in net – and in the game overall – she just puts 100 percent into every play,” Crouch continued. “Throughout the season, you could see her improving and becoming more confident in herself and our team becoming more confident in her. It was a really cool progression to see her take those steps towards becoming a starting varsity goalie and doing a pretty good job back there.”

Junior forward Bella Finley led the team in scoring with 18 goals and 5 assists for 41 points overall, which left her tied for second in the NFL.

And the Lady Jacks found their new threats on the outside for the foreseeable future in Kaylee Valentic and Kylie Miranto. The freshmen duo gave defenses fits all season – Valentic finished with 10 goals and seven assists (27 points) and Miranto had nine goals and four assists (22 points). Both, Crouch said, have bright futures if they continue to put in the work.

“They practice the way they play, for sure,” Crouch said. “The next three years, they’re going to tear up the NFL and I have really high expectations of them and I know they have those same high expectations for themselves.”

The Lady Jacks will look to replace the talent and leadership of seniors Samantha DalPorto, Olivia Hooley and Bridget Wilson, all multi-year contributors to the varsity program.

“The three of them have been the backbone of this team for the last two, three, four years,” Crouch said. “Definitely three players that we’re going to miss big time on the field. They’re going to be hard to replace.”

Meanwhile, the Jacks season was almost derailed in a big stretch from late September to early October due to Western New York’s rare heatwave as they lost five of six games and went eight days without game action. The team also had multiple games where they had big leads but couldn’t finish the job.

“Unfortunately, when things didn’t go our way, we couldn’t correct the path that we were on,” Brocklehurst explained. “I want my team to go out there and be confident and keep a good head on their shoulder and that’s the most fundamental thing.”

Offensively, the Jacks found what Brocklehurst referred to as his “ying and yang” combination of senior Colin Archibald and junior Tyler MacNeil. Archibald finished with 14 goals and 5 assists (33 points) while MacNeil countered with 12 goals and 5 assists (29 points).

That duo gave defenses headaches all season, said Brocklehurst.

“I don’t care who you game-plan when you face North Tonawanda, you’re not going to be able to game-plan for both of them,” he added. “Colin wants to take a really aggressive style and go right at you while Tyler wants to step back and has a nasty first touch.”

Senior goaltender Carson Essenburg finished his career with seven shutouts and 74 saves.

With eight seniors graduating, Brocklehurst is already preparing for the 2019 season.

“We’re starting with a clean canvas,” Brocklehurst said. “I said at my team meeting, ‘Whatever you think your role is going to be next year, go out and work hard and steal somebody’s job.’ Next year, I’m optimistic. I’m excited to see what it looks like. I hope my expectations are blown out of the water…. We want to raise that banner of our own. We want to compete at a high level and win some good games next season.”

 

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Lady Jacks kick past THS for sixth T-NT soccer win

 

 

*** As seen in Tonawanda Sun, Sept. 14, 2018 edition *** 

The T-NT Cup for soccer is staying at the Lumberyard for another year.

The North Tonawanda Lady Jacks won over the Tonawanda Lady Warriors in the annual event for the 6^th year in a row since 2013, 6-1, on Sept. 4 at the North Tonawanda Athletics Complex, in their first home game of the season.

“The T-NT game is always one of our favorite games of the year,” NT head coach Hannah Crouch said after the victory. “The girls love it. I love it. It’s really exciting to get the two teams together and play a non-league game. Just a great tradition. We have a good time with it.”

Within the first 10 minutes of the game, the Lady Jacks with back-to-back goals from junior Macey Gioeli and freshman Kaylee Valentic to take a 2-0 lead. They added to their lead in the 28^th minute when freshman Kylie Miranto, scored, making the score 3-0 at halftime.

North Tonawanda dominated territorial play, out-shooting the Lady Warriors 23-4 – and Crouch said that was a result of executing the opportunities they were given.

“I thought we moved the ball really well,” Crouch said. “We had a lot of good 1-2 plays. Our spacing was fantastic, which gave us a lot of opportunities. I think we’re really starting to hit our stride now.”

The scoring continued in the second half when Bella Finley scored her third goal of the season off a pass from Miranto at the 47^th minute. Eight minutes later, Valentic – later named the MVP for the Lady Jacks – scored her second goal off a corner kick from Gioeli, making the score 5-0.

Crouch said she’s been impressed with the young forward so far in her varsity career.

“Kaylee’s work ethic is out of this world,” Crouch said. “She is one of those kids who does not take a play off. Even in practice, she won’t take a play off. Her heart is just fantastic and that’s where it really all stems from, I think.”

The Lady Jacks capped off their scoring in the 66^th minute when Emily Hooley scored on a break-away.

Tonawanda got on the board in the 72nd minute when Baylin Tighe scored her team-high fifth goal of the season off a quick pass from Christa Oates to get the Lady Warriors on the scoreboard.

Tonawanda head coach Rachelle Matthys described her team’s performance as “a tale of two halves.”

“If you take (the) score away and just look at effort as a collective whole, I think we were playing a lot harder, with more urgency and care, in the second half,” Matthys said. “I didn’t see that in the first (half). And that’s where North Tonawanda was able to pull away and set the pace early on and unfortunately, we were in that position of playing catch-up.”

Ninth-grade goalkeeper Alyssa Aceti was named the Lady Warriors’ MVP of the game. Matthys said she “has been doing great things for us as a freshman” since the start of the seaosn.

“Tonight was one of those nights I think (when) the score doesn’t reflect her effort in net necessarily,” she said. “We have some growing to do after tonight’s game but all I can hope is they learn from it and we move on tomorrow.”

The biggest message Matthys hopes her players take away from the game is being able to move on to the next play.

“I try to just remind my girls, when I’m looking at a roster that’s basically split – 11^th and 12^th and the other half being heavy on ninth graders and a couple 10^th graders – just to encourage them that it’s okay to mistakes,” Matthys said. “It’s human nature, we’re going to, nobody’s flawless. But we have to be able to learn from them and respond to them in the process. We can’t shut down because of mistakes.”

 

Tonawanda’s Alyssa Aceti, NT’s Kaylee Valentic named MVPs

 

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North Tonawanda squads look to build on successes

 

*** As seen in Tonawanda Sun, August 24, 2018 Edition ***

Looking to take the next step.

That would describe both the boys and girls soccer programs at North Tonawanda heading into the 2018 season- and with good reason.

Last fall was a solid season for both teams. The Lady Jacks finished with another 11-win campaign (including an 8-1 start) while the Jacks had their best season in decades, finishing with a 10-3-4 record and winning the Niagara Frontier League’s Niagara Division title along the way.

One of the reasons for their success are girls coach Hannah Crouch and boys coach Rob Brocklehurst, who played their entire high school careers wearing the red-and-blue.

Being able to coach for their alma mater has been a dream come true.

“It’s awesome,” said Crouch, entering her third season. “It really means a lot that (former coach) Steve (Sabo) picked and trained me to take over his position because he did such an amazing job for so many years. It’s really an honor to be doing this now after what he built.”

“I absolutely love it,” added Brocklehurst, now in his second year co-coaching with Sabo. “This is home. It makes me proud to be out here running with these boys and hopefully give them opportunities of making memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Lady Jacks begin life without seniors Alyssa Kissel and Erin Sammarco, although, plenty of talent returns. On the defensive end, all four starters- seniors Bridget Wilson and Samantha DalPorto, junior Emily Barone and sophomore Jessica Hanes- are back. Crouch called Wilson the anchor of the defense.

“She knows what it’s all about now with the work ethic and the speed of the game,” she added. “She’s a great example with the younger kids and does a great job of communicating with them.”

Offensively, the duo of Bella Finley and Macey Gioeli are back for their third varsity season, having combined for 54 goals and 121 points in the last two years.

“Bella is a strong player up top (that can) get those balls up in the air and (can) get those headers,” Crouch said. “Macey is a quick player that is going to beat defenders. I’m excited to have them back.”

Senior mid-fielder/forward Olivia Hooley is also returning. After spending last season with the Developmental Academy through U.S. Soccer, she will look to benefit the team on and off the field, as Crouch explained.

“She is the leader on and off the field for us,” she said. “She helps the younger players and is very knowledgeable of the game and I think she’s going to do a great job running the mid-field for us.”

Hooley verbally committed to Niagara University in March.

 

Last year’s quick turnaround for the boys team wasn’t as complex as many believed.

“It came down to hard work and the belief that we could (win),” Brocklehurst said. “It was just inspiring our leaders and players on the team that they could finish amongst the top of the league. It’s that belief that they could win any game.”

Last season, the Jacks were the new kids on the block in the NFL with a youthful yet talented roster that won nine of its first 10 games. Now they’re a year older and have eight starter coming back.

Senior forward Colin Archibald was one of the top offensive threats in the league and led the team in scoring last season. Brocklehurst noted that Archibald has a “soccer gift.”

“He works hard on the soccer field through his different academies and his travel club and you can see it,” Brocklehurst added. “When he’s out there on the field, you know you have the potential of going up on a team real quick.”

Also back are senior defenders Will Guagliardo, Colin Parlier, Casey Trombley and goalkeeper Carson Essenburg..

“Rather than playing as four individuals, they play as one cohesive unit,” Brocklehurst noted.

Juniors Zach Yim and Tyler MacNeil and sophomores JP Barone and Nick Sciandra also are expected to contribute.

 

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