Westmoreland County girls soccer notebook: Injuries can’t derail Penn-Trafford

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 | 7:51 PM

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Penn-Trafford has a unique dynamic going on around the program this season.

When a player goes down, another steps up. And it’s not just injuries that have altered the rotation.

Still, the team began the week two games up on first place in Section 1-4A.

“I just hope we stay healthy,” coach Jimmy Mastroianni said.

Stay?

The Warriors (10-3, 7-0) haven’t been healthy all season, let alone at full strength. This is not the lineup they envisioned in the offseason as they made the move from Class 3A to 4A.

Still, they have won 10 of 11 with the loss coming against Mt. Lebanon, 2-1.

Let’s start at the beginning:

Juniors Emilie Oslosky and Ava Oslosky were expected to be key players in the lineup, but both transferred to The Kiski School, which has a girls team for the first time this season.

Then, Hanna Weishaar and Olivia Weishaar, junior sisters who also would have added depth, decided to leave socccer to concentrate on basketball and track and field.

Mastroianni held out hope that two key players would come back from injury in senior Jessica Gadagno (ACL/meniscus) and sophomore Aurelia Solomon (ankle).

Solomon came back, but Gadagno still is not ready.

Just when Solomon returned, two others went down. Freshman Tori Yurt, who is second on the team with seven goals, tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus and sophomore Aishlinn Connolly badly injured her ankle.

Fortunately, senior Alexis Brown came back healthy after fracturing her kneecap a year ago. She has a team-leading 11 goals.

“We have kind of learned to maneuver,” Brown said. “This opened opportunities for other girls to step up.”

Goals and assists

When the mother of a player from Belle Vernon died from cystic fibrosis, the girls team rallied to help the cause.

The team raised money and awareness during its home game last week against South Park.

“Her father approached me about us doing a fundraiser and a game in her honor,” coach Tracy Lovett said. “He is very involved in the CF Foundation. So we put out a ticket, took any donations and then we had the game (on Wednesday).”

Belle Vernon raised $1,353 for the CF Foundation. Both teams wore special shirts during warmups.

Some Belle Vernon players also volunteered at a CF Cycle For Life event last month at the West Newton Trail.

“I take pride in having my team involved in events like this,” Lovett said. “I talk to them often about helping others and giving back to the community. And the importance of finding the time to make a difference.

“It is important that young people see the impact they can have when they work together for a greater good. Being part of a team is so much more than just the win and loss column.”

Belle Vernon also has a pink flamingo fundraiser where players put plastic birds in yards with the hopes of drawing donations from the property owner.

The contest is completely run by the players.

Lovett said, “I believe that we have two hands for a reason: one to help yourself and the one to help others.”

Money from that venture goes to Penn Highlands Cancer Center. More than $9,000 has come from the Belle Vernon girls.

On Oct. 9, Belle Vernon will host a Pink Out/Kickin’ Cancer game.

The team will light luminaries in honor of those who have died from or are battling cancer.

A $5 donation will go to Penn Highlands.

Life goals

A number of county players scored two or more goals Monday.

• Emily Smith had three goals for Greensburg Salem in a 3-0 win over The Kiski School.

• Annalyse Baur had a hat trick and Emerson Shine and Robin Reilly had two scores apiece in Latrobe’s 7-0 win over Woodland Hills.

• Southmoreland’s Aubrey Seder scored three goals and Megan Mehall had two in a 10-1 win over Ligonier Valley.

• Rylin Bugosh found the net twice for Mt. Pleasant in a 4-0 win over Deer Lakes.

• Penn-Trafford blanked Hempfield, 3-0, as Alexis Brown had two goals.

• Julia Bursick, Carmella Simco and Ava Acalotto had two goals apiece for Norwin in an 11-0 win over Armstrong.

• Belle Vernon shut out Ringgold, 3-0, as Ava Scalise had two goals.

• Eden Williams had two goals, including the game-winner, as Franklin Regional escaped with a 3-2 overtime win over Indiana. Williams also had game-winner against Kiski Area earlier this season and won the game for the Panthers last year against Penn-Trafford.

• Daisy Miller and Brittany Baumeister had two goals each for Yough in a 13-0 win over East Allegheny.

Burrell pulls upset

Burrell shook up the Class 2A Top 5 this week.

The Buccaneers, ranked No. 5, stunned No. 2 North Catholic, 4-1, as Makiah Buchak, Miley Kariotis, McKenna Miller, and Maggie Nesko each scored a goal.

Burrell moved to 9-2-1 overall and 5-2 in Section 2, while North Catholic is now 10-1, 5-1.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Burrell, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland