Springdale’s Briana Ross named 2024 A-K Valley Girls Soccer Player of the Year
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Saturday, November 30, 2024 | 11:44 PM
Springdale’s Briana Ross works past Winchester Thurston’s Gaby Winston during the WPIAL Class A championship game on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Highmark Stadium.
Springdale’s Briana Ross celebrates after scoring against Greensburg Central Catholic on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Springdale..
Springdale’s Hailey Marchlewski works past Seton LaSalle’s Sydney Towers during their PIAA Class A state semifinal on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at North Allegheny.
Burrell’s Makiah Buchak scores against Quaker Valley during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Highmark Stadium.
Burrell’s Maggie Nesko celebrates with McKenna Miller after scoring against Mt. Pleasant during their WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at Mt. Pleasant.
Fox Chapel’s Alyssa Quackenbush celebrates with Maddie Grimsley after scoring against Plum during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at Martorelli Stadium in Ross.
Fox Chapel’s Emily McKee works past Plum’s Catie Weiss during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at Martorelli Stadium in Ross.
Fox Chapel’s Emily McKee (12) celebrates with Sophie Thorne after scoring against Plum during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at Martorelli Stadium in Ross.
Springdale’s Molly Hurley battles for possession against Conemaugh Twp. during their PIAA Class A first round state playoff game on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at Fox Chapel.
Springdale’s Molly Hurley celebrates with Carissa Walsh after scoring against Winchester Thurston during the WPIAL Class A championship game on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Highmark Stadium.
Plum’s Emily Grubich battles Moon’s Lillian Snyder for possession during their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at Plum.
Plum’s Emily Grubich celebrates after scoring against Franklin Regional on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, at Plum High School.
Moon’s Lauren Muhanna works past Plum’s Serena Carnahan during their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at Plum.
Deer Lakes’ Claire Cacurak.
Freeport’s Peyton Los puts a spin move on Burrell’s Maggie Nesko Monday Oct. 7, 2024 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport sophomore Cam Woods.
Deer Lakes runners, from left, Claire Cacurak, Kylie McCoy, Tessa Hollibaugh and Sadie Creaturo, compete during the 2024 season.
Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Briana Ross, Sr., F, Springdale
Briana Ross blended speed, technique and skill into another standout season for the Springdale girls soccer team.
The senior striker was dangerous from anywhere on the field as she scored 42 goals and added 30 assists for a Dynamos team that captured the fourth WPIAL championship in program history and first since 2009.
She was rewarded for her efforts with selection to the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association all-state team after being voted All-WPIAL and a Section 4-A all-star.
“I think developing my sense of confidence playing against good teams really helped me improve my game for this season,” Ross said. “It just takes grit to get past that wall that can stop some players from reaching their full potential during the season.”
Ross reached her full potential with many highlights, including scoring a goal and adding an assist in the Dynamos’ fourth trip to the state championship game.
With all that she accomplished in 2024, Ross has been selected the Valley News Dispatch Girls Soccer Player of the Year from a standout group of athletes that included Fox Chapel sophomore forward Emily McKee.
Ross scored her 100th career goal in the Dynamos’ fourth game of the season, a 4-0 win over Eden Christian.
“The student section, the parents and the community were cheering me on, and they all helped me get to that amazing goal,” Ross said. “When I started as a freshman, I didn’t know what the future seasons for my team would hold or if I would get that far to where I would score that many goals. I was really glad that I was able to do that.”
She finished her career with 132 goals.
Ross scored 11 of her 42 senior-season goals in the postseason.
She tallied a pair of hat tricks in games leading up to the WPIAL title contest and then scored twice in Springdale’s 5-3 victory over Winchester Thurston at Highmark Stadium.
“(Winning the WPIAL championship) was a really good feeling because it was something we were looking to get for the past four years,” Ross said. “We had always come up short. We knew what it felt like to come in second (at Highmark), and we didn’t want to have that feeling again.”
Ross helped her team’s cause with a goal in the PIAA first-round win over Conemaugh Township, and she tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-3 loss to Dock Mennonite in the state title game in Mechanicsburg.
“We had fallen short (in the quarterfinal round) the past couple of years, so to push through and get to the state championship game was really special,” Ross said. “Losing the game sucked, but we were able to keep our heads up realizing how far we had come and how hard we worked. We lost, but we were still the second-best Class A team in the entire state. That is something to really be proud of.”
Ross is playing plenty of soccer this winter and spring with her Steel City FC club team. Then it is onto Division III Penn State Behrend for the next phase of her soccer and academic pursuits.
“I am so happy that I don’t have any more stress about where I will be going for college,” Ross said. “I found such a good place where I fit so well with an amazing group of girls. I know we’re all going to work our hardest to be the best team. I am really excited to be able to show who I am.”
First team
Makiah Buchak, So., F, Burrell
Buchak followed up a strong freshman season with an impactful sophomore campaign. She tallied a dramatic game-winning goal in the Bucs’ 3-2 WPIAL Class 2A semifinal win over South Park and had her team’s lone goal in a 2-1 title game loss to Quaker Valley at Highmark Stadium. The Section 2-2A all-star finished with a team-best 13 goals.
Claire Cacurak, Jr., F, Deer Lakes
The now two-time All-WPIAL selection led the Lancers with 22 goals and nine assists as they won 14 games, finished runner-up to Mt. Pleasant in Section 4-2A and advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals. She also is a VND first-team selection for the second year in a row and has collected 41 goals combined the past two seasons.
Serena Carnahan, Sr., M, Plum
The team co-captain was a steadying force in the midfield for the Mustangs who won 17 of their 20 games this season. She picks up VND first-team laurels this fall after earning second-team recognition last year. She also made the Class 3A All-WPIAL team.
Emily Grubich, So., F, Plum
There was no sophomore slump for the Mustangs standout. Grubich was solid offensively for a Plum team that won its sixth straight section championship and advanced to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals. The All-WPIAL and Section 4-3A all-star led the team in scoring with 20 goals. She also tallied four assists.
Molly Hurley, Sr., F, Springdale
Hurley returns to the VND first team after another impactful season of offense for the WPIAL champion and state finalist. The All-WPIAL selection finished with 16 goals and seven assists. She tallied goals in Springdale’s WPIAL-title win over Winchester Thurston and PIAA semifinal victory over Seton LaSalle. She also recorded a penalty-kick score in the first round of states against Conemaugh Township.
Peyton Los, Jr., M, Freeport
Los was a key component in the midfield for a Freeport team that advanced to the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals. The All-WPIAL pick helped generate the Yellowjackets’ offense and scored on more than one occasion. She scored a goal in the WPIAL first-round win over Belle Vernon and a in a victory over Knoch to wrap up an outright section title. She also assisted on two scores in a key triumph over section runner-up North Catholic.
Hailey Marchlewski, Jr., MF, Springdale
Marchlewski again helped control the midfield and power the Springdale offense. She scored both goals in a PIAA Class A quarterfinal victory over Bishop Guilfoyle and tallied two scores to help the Dynamos top Seton LaSalle in the state semifinals. She finished with eight goals and 10 assists and was voted a Section 4-A all-star.
Emily McKee, So., F, Fox Chapel
McKee again was a dangerous scoring threat for the Foxes in their run to the WPIAL Class 3A title game and PIAA playoffs. The all-state, All-WPIAL and Section 1-3A selection scored a team-best 34 goals and added nine assists. She had nine multi-goal games and tallied three or more goals four times. McKee owns a combined 58 goals in two varsity seasons.
Maggie Nesko, Sr., M, Burrell
The All-WPIAL and Section 2-2A all-star helped put her stamp on another strong playoff run for the Bucs. Her goal in the second half of the WPIAL semifinal contest against South Park helped ninth-seeded Burrell advance to Highmark Stadium. She finished her final varsity season with 11 goals and 11 assists.
Alyssa Quackenbush, Sr., F, Fox Chapel
Quackenbush provided a veteran presence for a Foxes team that made the PIAA playoffs after finishing as the WPIAL Class 3A runner-up. The All-WPIAL selection doubled her goal total from a year ago, finishing the 2024 season with 16 to go along with nine assists. She scored eight times in the postseason, including a pair of hat tricks.
Camryn Woods, So., F, Freeport
The offensive standout again made her mark in her second varsity season, helping the Yellowjackets capture the Section 2-2A championship and win 12 games. The now-two-time All-WPIAL and VND first-team all-star recorded several multi-goal efforts and finished with a team-best 16 goals to go along with eight assists. Woods enters her junior season with 47 varsity goals.
Second team
Alyssa Alcorn, Jr., GK, Freeport
Brooke Cacurak, Jr., D, Deer Lakes
Maddie Grimsley, Sr., M, Fox Chapel
Tessa Hollibaugh, So., F, Deer Lakes
Miley Kariotis, Sr., M, Burrell
Camryn Kunz, Sr., M, Kiski Area
Mia Nardo, Sr., F, Plum
Mary Quinlan, So., M/F, Riverview
Gianna Revetta, Jr., M, Plum
Katerina Tsambis, Sr., D, Riverview
Carissa Walsh, Sr., M, Springdale
Honorable mention
Maya DiPasquale, Sr., D, Fox Chapel; Hannah Hudack, So., M, Riverview; Samantha Liput, Sr., M, Freeport; McKenna Miller, So., F, Burrell; Lacey Shondeck, Jr., D, Springdale; Emma Slusser, Sr., D, Knoch; Vicky Troyan, Sr., D, Deer Lakes; Catie Weiss, Sr., D, Plum; Alexis Zidek, Sr., D, Kiski Area
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Kiski Area, Knoch, Plum, Riverview, Springdale
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