Westmoreland athletes of the week: Latrobe’s Cole Ferri, Norwin’s Emily Harrigan

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 | 7:12 PM

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Cole Ferri

School: Latrobe

Sport: Hockey

Class: Sophomore

Claim to fame: Ferri, who has five goals and four assists this season, recorded two goals and two assists to lead Latrobe (4-3) to a 5-3 win over Hampton on Nov. 6.

“We started out the season rough. We won our first game and then we lost three in a row,” he said. “We noticed we could be a real contender this year. We had some hard practices since the start. We have been working well together.”

What was the mindset of the team going into the season with most of the team returning from last year's Penguins Cup team?

We came into the season thinking we can make it to the Pens Cup, and that we were the best of the league, (that) we don't have to try. We had a very poor start, and we are going to keep going until we win the Pens Cup.

What did you work on during the offseason?

I did some hockey camps with my travel coach from the 16U Esmark Stars. We would work on all skills. I met the new kids on the team and started to build some chemistry with the guys. I went to the weight room to get stronger and faster.

What is the new pregame routine?

After our normal warmup, I bring out a foam roller and make sure all my muscles are loose even after the normal stretching. Then, I take a golf ball out and work on my stick handling by not looking down at the golf ball.

What is the origin of Cole?

I have been called Cole ever since I was 5 years old. I didn't like the name Greg since that's my dad's name. One day I asked my family to call me by Cole, which is my middle name.

What is the earliest hockey memory?

I had to go get skating lessons and hold a cone. I think I went for a couple months. After that, I got my first pair of hockey skates. I learned how to skate with the cone then with a hockey stick. I was 5 or 6 years old when I started to play as a Badger.

Emily Harrigan

School: Norwin

Sport: Soccer

Class: Senior

Claim to fame: Harrigan, a Rutgers recruit, scored two goals to lead Norwin (20-2-1) to a 4-0 win over North Allegheny in the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals at Fox Chapel on Nov. 11. She also helped the Knights to a 2-0 win over Conestoga Valley in Tuesday's semifinals. Norwin will face Neshaminy in the PIAA championship Friday.

“I thought I have been doing well. I'm a forward so my job is to get the ball in the back in the net. Everyone else has the hard job, and I have the easy job of putting it in the back of the net,” Harrigan said.

What made you decide on Rutgers?

They came out to one my practices in the eighth grade. I just loved the atmosphere and went to a couple of their camps over the years. I know two of the girls there, and they helped persuade me to choose Rutgers.

What would it mean to come home with a PIAA title?

It would be absolutely amazing. We have come so close in most recent years. It's an amazing accomplishment to be there. It's our first time in 20 years. It hasn't been done in a long time so it's very exciting for everyone in the community.

What does the team need to do to win?

We need to play our game. Every game we have played so far, we have played very well. We are so close on and off the field; it translates to the field. If we go out there with the right mentality, we will be just fine.

What does it mean to be part of a team that brought Norwin back to the state finals?

We knew before the state playoffs, whether we made it or not to the finals, we just had a different bond on the team. We fell to Penn-Trafford (two) times, and we were able to overcome that. It's an accomplishment that people on the team are going to remember for years to come.

What did the team learn from the games against Penn-Trafford this season?

We used it as motivation. We had so many opportunities in those games. They aren't the better team just because they beat us. We had a sour taste in our mouths, and we were able to overcome it. Hopefully, we will get the gold medal at states.

— Andrew John

Tags: Latrobe, Norwin