Thomas Jefferson using young approach
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Senior leadership is a pretty common theme in most locker rooms. But underclassmen leadership? That’s about as unlikely as a jokester being taken seriously.
Well, that’s exactly what’s happening at Thomas Jefferson.
Freshman goalie Maddison Sippey and sophomore defender Julia Saltzman are young enough to play for the junior varsity, however their upbeat attitudes and personalities have captivated the varsity squad.
“Maddison Sippey has a really dry, funny sense of humor,” said coach Jason Vozar. “Julia, she’s giddy, she’s funny, she has a ton of energy. She’s always in a good mood.”
Vozar was an assistant the previous three seasons under former coach Melissa Allan, who stepped down after last season.
During his first season as head coach, Vozar has let the girls be themselves while racking up a 14-3 overall record and an 11-3 mark in Class 3A Section 3 through Monday. That means dancing and having fun during pregame warmups and cracking jokes while stretching.
“If it’s just mundane, the same thing every day, it's not going to work,” said Vozar. “It’s got to be fun. It certainly helps that they keep it light.”
The Jaguars’ leading scorer is sophomore midfielder Dalaney Ranallo, who has 12 goals and nine assists. Senior forward Lia Manning has nine goals and 16 assists.
Vozar is leading the Jaguars into the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season during his first shot at head coaching, but he is quick to point out that the previous regime laid the foundation for his success.
“Coach Allan had been there for six years,” said Vozar. “I think she's a huge reason why this program is having success. We really built it up and worked with the kids.”
Norwin
Once the season ends, Emily Harrigan will take a trip to sunny Orlando, Fla. Not for a vacation, mind you, but to keep playing.
The Rutgers recruit was recently selected to play in girls fifth annual High School All-America Game Dec. 2.
“It’s an absolute honor to be selected for All-America,” said Harrigan. “I’ve worked hard my entire soccer career and it’s nice to see it pay off. I couldn’t have done it without the girls on my teams, all of my coaches, and the support from my friends and family. I can’t wait for the game, but there’s a lot to take care of with the team playoffs before traveling to Orlando.”
Harrigan, a senior forward, has scored 18 goals this season. Norwin is 14-1-1 overall and 8-1-1 in Class 4A Section 4. The only squad that has tripped up the Knights is Penn-Trafford, which upset Norwin, 1-0, when it was the top-ranked team in the country Sept. 25. The teams tied, 0-0, in the rematch on Oct. 11.
Eden Christian
As a program, Eden Christian’s girls soccer squad is relatively young. Its fifth season just got a little bit longer, though, as the Warriors earned a WPIAL playoff spot for the first time in school history.
The clincher was a 2-1 victory against the Ellis School Oct. 8. Eden Christian finished the regular season with an overall record of 8-82, including a 7-4-1 mark in Class1A Section 4.