A new start for girls soccer
Captain Reagan Casper (12) handles the ball.
The era of winning WPIAL titles and state championships seems distant for the girls soccer team. The Norwin Knights hoisted the PIAA trophy in 2017 and were runner up in WPIAL in fall of 2019. The Lady Knights have some rebuilding to do to get back to that championship form.
With a current record of 2-7-2, the Lady Knights continue to fight on, playing 7 more games in the remaining regular season as of Sunday Sept. 25. The Lady Knights hope to close out the remaining 1/3 of their schedule with some more W’s.
Without 4 year varsity starters such as Paloma Swankler ‘22 and Emma Rigone ‘22, the Lady Knights were left to fill in the missing talent on the field while tackling a new section of teams.
“The section reorganization was definitely a challenge,” said head coach Diane Metzger. “We are now facing teams that are a bit more unfamiliar and a much further distance away.”
This season the Lady Knights faced Cannon-McMillan, Peters Township, and Upper St. Clair- all teams the Lady Knights have not played in the past few years.
“One of the benefits to the new section is that the overall competitive level has been raised,” Metzer said. “It is better preparation for a post season. We hope to advance to that point in this season.”
In addition to new teams, the Lady Knights played familiar opponents Hempfield Area, beating them 14-0, and Greater Latrobe, tying 1-1.
“We are more familiar with playing styles, and even specific players from the opponents that we faced last season,” explained Metzger.
The challenge posed by new opponents led the Lady Knights to dedicate more time to training.
“It is challenging to reach the physical fitness level that is necessary to play at a competitive level,” Metzer said. “The best part is that the team has set high standards for itself, and they push themselves to become better.”
Off the field, the girls established a bond with each other through a big & little sister mentorship program. A senior girls soccer player is assigned to each incoming new freshmen to mentor and assist the newcomers with anything they need.
“Having a big sister when I joined the team was really helpful,” freshman Riley Miller said. “My sister helped me feel closer to the team. She’s given me gifts and I love being able to talk to her.”
The Lady Knights will play 7 more games in the regular season, facing Bethel Park Sept. 26 at 7:30. Although the season is winding down, Metzger is confident the Lady Knights will fare better against teams they played earlier in the season.
“The toughest part of the season was the first half,” Metzer said. “In the second half, we hope to make better adjustments and surprise some teams who may have us in the first matchup. Our section is not an easy one, but we are grateful for the way that our opponents are making us into better soccer players.”
The schedule for Norwin girls soccer can be accessed here.
Maleah Phetsomphou is a senior at Norwin High School. This is her third year writing for the Knight Krier Newspaper. She is co-host of “The To-Knight...
