Sewickley Academy girls working on encore after banner season

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

Sewickley Academy’s girls soccer team took pride in having a banner 2024 season in Gary Weber’s first year as the Panthers’ head coach.

Sewickley tied for first in Section 3-A with Seton LaSalle with a 10-1-1 record, outscoring opponents 50-13 in section play.

The Panthers advanced to the WPIAL playoffs for the fifth time in six years, reaching both the WPIAL and PIAA semifinals, and ended up 13-5-1 overall.

Sewickley allowed just 11 goals in 16 regular-season games and registered 12 shutouts, including four in the playoffs.

“Obviously, we’re trying to duplicate our effort of last year,” Weber said. “We want to win the section and hopefully get back to the WPIAL tournament. Everyone on the team has the goal of winning the WPIAL championship.

“Our primary aim is to qualify for the WPIAL tournament. Once you reach that stage, anything can happen. Soccer can be a very cruel game; you might dominate your opponent and still lose 1-0. That’s why, in the tournament, it’s a single-game scenario for all: Win and the team advances; lose and the season ends. With that in mind, anything is possible.”

Weber welcomed eight returning starters from last year’s highly competitive squad, including senior midfielders Makenzie Dice and Marin Edmunds and senior defender Isabella Ballard.

Five of the players back from 2024 are juniors: Emma Eannarino and Olivia Stefanik at forward and Grace Jardini, Emilia Carrabba and Josie Courtney on defense

Eannarino is a skilled multi-sport participant who knocked in all six goals in the Panthers’ 6-0 section win Oct. 7 against South Allegheny.

Others helping out in reserve roles as underclassmen in ‘24 include current senior Raneem Wahdan on defense, junior midfielders Nalani Brayley and Mya Spadafore and sophomore goalkeepers Gabby Edmunds and Renae Phillip-Knight.

Edmunds and Phillip-Knight have been vying for the starting goalkeeping job in the preseason. They are the only sophomores on the team.

With four starters returning on defense, the Panthers intend to stymie opposing offenses until rounding into midseason form.

“We did pretty well in the back last year,” said Weber, who has been coaching soccer for three decades.

“My general philosophy with a high school team is to master the fundamentals and fitness for each player,” he said. “Once we improve individually on the technical aspects of the game, we move onto tactical discussions.”

Sewickley lost three key seniors to graduation from last year as Katherine Varghese (MF), Quincy Sirko (D) and Marie Bigi (GK) were instrumental to the team’s overall success.

But Weber has 21 players to work with on the pitch this year, including eight freshmen: Athena Ameredes, Jane Bolsterman, Nina Caputo, Charlotte Coleman, Camilla D’Antonio, Sarah Merryman, Adriana Oliveros-Hartman and Nina Rhodehamel.

The Panthers’ veteran coach expects at least a few of them to have breakthrough seasons in their first taste of varsity soccer.

“We have a good freshman class,” Weber said. “There are going to be some freshmen who contribute this season for us.”

Weber has been involved with Beadling Soccer Club in various capacities for 25-plus years.

Tags: Sewickley Academy