Senior core made a difference for Bethel Park girls lacrosse

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, July 23, 2022 | 9:01 AM

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They were mainstays in the Bethel Park girls lacrosse program for four years.

Caitlyn Schultz, Riley Miller and Tori Krapp proved to be near-unstoppable four-year starters for the Black Hawks.

“Those three have led this team in every way over the last four years,” coach Becky Luzier said. “Tori was the unsung hero in that midfield.”

Schultz and Miller, both senior midfielders this year, were named first team all-section while Krapp, also a senior midfielder, and senior defender Chloe McDaniel were chosen to the second team.

A three-year captain, Schultz was a USA Lacrosse All-American selection as a junior. She finished with 187 career goals, graduated with a 4.1 GPA and plans to attend the University of Virginia at Wise, majoring in business administration with a minor in finance and sports management.

“Caitlyn is the rare player who is able to play with tenacity and grit but also loose and with joy for the game,” Luzier said. “She is a natural leader due to her work ethic and the fact that she doesn’t take herself too seriously and wants everyone to have fun at practice and in games.

“She is trustworthy, dependable, kind and honest. I wish I didn’t have to let her go this year as she is so very special.”

Schultz led the Black Hawks offensively all three years that they played. (The 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic.) She accounted for 67 goals, 21 assists, 55 draw controls, 27 ground balls and 44 caused turnovers in her senior season and was named All-WPIAL.

One of Schultz’s career highlights was scoring the game-winning goal in OT against Moon this season.

“My biggest goals would be that one and my goal against Mt. Lebo in my freshman year. It was also a game-winning goal in overtime,” Schultz said. “I felt relieved that we won the game.

“Our performance, I thought, was really good through the whole (2022) season. We had some ups and downs, but we played through it all. I am super happy about how my lacrosse career turned out. One of my favorite highlights was earning the USA Lacrosse All-American title.”

Schultz also competed for the Bethel Park girls swim team for three years and played soccer as a freshman. She was a member of the National Honor Society, DECA, Family Career and Community Leader of America, Campus Life, Best Buddies, Principal’s Advisory Council for Students and homecoming committee.

She also coached in the recreation and Intrepid lacrosse programs.

Schultz was chosen for the Western PA national team as a junior and for the Under Armour summer team after her junior year.

She started playing soccer at age 5 and competed for the Riverhounds 2004 Girls ECNL Team until entering high school.

“I enjoyed sports, so I played many of them when I was younger, and lacrosse stuck out to me,” she said.

Miller was voted All-WPIAL this year and earned USA Lacrosse All-American status, racking up 44 goals and 34 assists.

Miller was one of the most versatile athletes at Bethel Park in 2021-22.

“I try to go out and inspire others to try new things and stay as involved as they can,” she said.

Miller competed on the girls golf and cross country squads in the fall, switched to basketball in the winter months and capped her school year as a top member of the girls lacrosse team.

“Riley works just as hard defensively as she does offensively,” Luzier said. “She is a caused-turnover and draw-control machine and rarely takes her foot off the gas.

“She has worked very hard over the years to put herself in a position to have the opportunity to play at the Division I level and has all the pieces necessary to excel there.”

Miller, who is committed to continuing her lacrosse career at St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia, graduated with a 4.15 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society, student government, Principal’s Advisory Council for Students, Future Business Leaders of America and homecoming committee.

She utilized her experience in golf and cross country to enhance her basketball and lacrosse abilities.

“I joined the golf team in 11th grade, but golf is a sport you can play for life,” said Miller, who plans to major in accounting in college. “Golf is more of a practice-on-your-own sport where you go hit a bucket of balls on your own or play a round. Golf has been a great help in my mental aspect of sports in staying focused and positive.

“And I’m glad to be out there running. It’s great conditioning for any sport.”

Miller actually began her lacrosse career at an early age in second grade.

“My brother playing lacrosse when he was younger and going to lots of his games got me most interested in also wanting to play,” she said.

“I’ll definitely miss my teammates the most. Some of them have become my best friends. The bus rides to and from games are truly something I’ll miss most because we were always having a great time making each other laugh or singing songs.”

Krapp, like Schultz, was a varsity captain for three years. This spring, Krapp registered 36 goals and 17 assists.

“I was able to help and guide players on how to better themselves on and off the field,” she said of her captain duties. “I loved getting to see the girls improve as the year went on.

“Some of my fondest memories of my lacrosse career have to be the bus rides home after a big win. Singing with the team and celebrating on the bus is one of the best feelings. I think I’m going to miss moments like these when I really felt like a part of the team. I will miss all of the friends I’ve made on the team and spending time with them.”

Krapp, who also participated in the cross country, has been playing lacrosse for 10 years.

“I followed in my older brother’s footsteps in getting into the sport,” she said. “I saw him play and liked the sport so much that I copied his lucky (uniform) number 13.”

Krapp graduated with a 4.2 GPA and was a member of several extracurricular activities including DECA, Best Buddies, Ways and Means, Camera Club, Student Government Association, National Honor Society, Principal’s Advisory Counsel for Students and yearbook committee.

“Tori is the quintessential lead-by-example player,” Luzier said. “She has a deep well of determination, effort and drive and has the ability to put the team first that is nearly unparalleled in her peers.

“Tori has been a draw specialist since her freshmen year. I saw her find a new level of confidence in her scoring ability this year that served us really well down the stretch. Tori has an ability to see the field and either score or set up a scoring play nearly at will, and hers has been a particularly special career to watch develop.”

Krapp plans to continue competing in lacrosse at Seton Hill, where she will study exercise science with a minor in Spanish.

“Tori was one of my best friends (on the lacrosse team),” said Schultz, who has been recovering from a surgical procedure this summer.

Krapp’s sister Megan will be a senior for the Black Hawks in 2022-23. She also served as a team captain this past season and played an attack position.

Tags: Bethel Park