Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy get ready for girls soccer backyard brawl on Beaver Street

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, August 24, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The date is no doubt circled on both teams’ schedules.

Quaker Valley hosts rival Sewickley Academy in a girls soccer game Sept. 4 at Chuck Knox Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.

“While our local rivalry is Sewickley Academy,” QV coach Maggie Behun said, “for many years Quaker Valley girls soccer has considered Beaver and Avonworth, in section, and North Catholic, out of section, to be our true rivalries.”

Behun and Maggie Loudermilk share the coaching duties for the defending WPIAL Class 2A champion QV squad. They provided a bit of history to the rivalry prior to last year’s matchup.

“Growing up in Sewickley and playing soccer at Quaker Valley, I can unequivocally state the rivalry is real. QV-SA was a game everyone looked forward to,” Behun said. “Whether I was attending the boys game at Nichols Field as a spectator or playing for QV at the stadium, our small-town rivalry was one of the most intense games of the season when I was growing up.

“We have been doing our best to keep this tradition alive, and to make sure the backyard brawl on Beaver Street is part of the culture and future of Quaker Valley and Sewickley Academy girls soccer.”

Loudermilk has learned of the significance of the matchup in her eight years with QV.

“You can tell Maggie is passionate and excited about having the soccer rivalry reinvigorated,” Loudermilk said. “When I first started with the team seven seasons ago, we never played SA, but Maggie would talk about the tradition.

“We are hoping to create a new history. Sewickley Academy has a solid team, so this is the perfect time to bring it back.”

While QV has seven returning players plus four other girls termed “rotating starters” on its 2025 team, Sewickley has eight back from last year’s Class A playoff season.

“It’s always beneficial for a team to compete against an opponent from a different section and classification,” said Gary Weber, Sewickley’s second-year coach. “The schools are closely situated, and the players reside in the same general area. The players are familiar with each other, and I know some of them from club soccer.

“Some of the girls play on the same club teams or with the same clubs in the spring and also could compete against each other during the club season. Given these factors, it’s understandable that the game is significant. I’m looking forward to a competitive match.”

The Quakers have won the last two games in 2023 and 2024 by 2-1 and 4-2 scores.

Ari Bosh collected a pair of goals for QV while Emma Currier and June Lukasavage scored a goal apiece.

Emma Eannarino opened the scoring to give Sewickley an early 1-0 lead. Emilia Carrabba connected for the only goal in the second half off a direct kick.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy