AJ Lakeland

October 28, 2009

Unity propels Lady Chiefs to soccer title

By Adam Roberts aroberts@theabingtonjournal.com

To find success, a team needs teamwork and goals. The Lakeland girls soccer team has both.

The Lady Chiefs finished the regular season 11-0-1 for the Lackawanna League Division I Championship. The team took back the League title from Mt. View through the efforts of a strong defense and a deep offense.

At the beginning of the year, the goal was to regain their League championship.

“We had it for five years,” junior forward Hannah Tuffy said. “It was ours.”

Now that the team has reclaimed that brass, its players are looking forward to another trophy.

“It feels good (that we won the league), but we have to push to get the District back,” said senior mid fielder Brittany Surace.

Their district run was cut short last year after a semifinal overtime loss to eventual District II Champions, Mt. View.

The 22-player team has a week to prepare for district players. The week off will allow injuries to heal and flu symptoms to dissipate. At Friday’s practice, the team was short eight players because of illness.

When the entire roster returns, Coach Joe Kovaleski will continue to preach his idea of team over individuals.

“We share blame if we lose and we share joy if we win,” said Kovaleski, whose team won its 100th game on Sept. 23 against Elk Lake.

Kovaleski’s players believe in his teamwork philosophy and have taken their unity off the field.

“We’re not junior varsity and varsity,” said Tuffy. “We’re one.”

From off-field bonding like sleepovers, to coping with the death of Tyler Kubilus, a sophomore on the boys team, the Lady Chiefs have grown closer.

The bonding has made a difference.

On offense, the Lady Chiefs have seen production by a variety of scorers. Tuffy has 15 goals and 13 assists while Surace has 13 goals and 16 assists. Senior forward Regi Rayan has added eight goals.

Kovaleski believes that by sharing the load offensively his team becomes more difficult to defend.

“If they double team one girl, we’ll get it to another girl,” said Kovaleski.

Though their offensive production has been steady, their defense has provided a large cushion all year.

Sophomore goalkeeper Heather Smith has allowed only five goals this season, none of which came in the same game.

Smith’s efforts in goal have been helped by a young, but efficient defensive unit, led by freshman Tia Newberry. In practice, Newberry even gives her teammates a tough time. Surace calls her “Unstoppable.”

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