Southeastern Pa. girls' soccer notes

Archbishop Wood hopes to become the first Catholic League girls' soccer team to win three consecutive league championships when it plays Little Flower in the final Thursday night at Archbishop Ryan.

The Vikings, ranked seventh in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, have won five titles under coach Bill Cappo and 12 overall but have never been able to string three together.

According to Cappo, Wood is playing its best soccer of the season. The Vikings (18-2) lost two of their first three games this season but have put together a 17-game winning streak. Ryan was their latest victim Monday night, 5-0, in the semifinals.

"Our defense, headed up by Hunter Filippo, has been aggressive," Cappo said. "We took charge Monday night. Jackie Pierson has been sharp in the middle, and sophomore Deanna Messner's doing a nice job in goal.

Kelsey Celline and Carly Holesworth each scored two goals to pace Wood against Ryan.

Celline's goals improved her team-leading total for the season to 32, three off the school season record she set last year as a junior. She has a school-record 87 goals in her career.

Cappo sees his team facing a tough game against Little Flower, which lost to the Vikings, 2-0, earlier in the season.

"Little Flower is very well coached," Cappo said. "They move the ball extremely well."

Junior striker Ursula Coyle leads the Sentinels with 18 goals.

"She's a hustler," Little Flower coach Markos Pittaoulis said. He has coached the Sentinels to two league championships in 23 seasons. They have reached the finals seven other times.

Midfielder Taylor Tobb is looking to play at DeSales next season, and back Genna Device is headed to Holy Family. Goalie Megan Cullen made eight saves in the Sentinels' 2-1 overtime win over Lansdale Catholic in the other semifinal.

"I expect a close game," Pittaoulis said.

Panthers sharp. Coach Gino Miraglia said Strath Haven will need another game like the one it played Monday against surprising Lower Merion if it's going to advance beyond Wednesday's District 1 Class AAA semifinals.

That's when the Panthers play top-seeded Pennridge or eighth seed Council Rock South.

The fourth-seeded Panthers (15-2) put it all together for a 3-0 quarterfinal win over the 28th-seeded Aces. Lower Merion had knocked off No. 5 seed West Chester Henderson in the first round.

"We're right where we expected to be," Miraglia said. "Last year, we lost in the second round to Central Bucks West in the quarterfinals then lost our two playback games to miss the playoffs."

Miraglia said the Panthers' back line of Lexi Mazur, April Suda, Grace McGeehan, and Allie Wilson has played a huge role in the Panthers' success. Wilson is a sophomore; the others are seniors.

"Another sophomore, Sophie Murphy, has done an amazing job in the middle,' the coach added. "She didn't start until four or five games into the season."

Last coaches poll. The Pennsylvania State Soccer Coaches Association's last big-schools poll of the season was dominated by teams from District 1 and 12. Pennridge was No. 1, followed by Council Rock South, Council Rock North, and Archbishop Wood.

West Chester Henderson was fifth, followed by West Chester East, Conestoga, Downingtown East, and Strath Haven. State College from District 6 rounded out the top 10.

Unbeaten Villa Joseph Marie, the lone school from this area to be ranked, was No. 1 in the small-schools poll.