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First Posted: 9/15/2013

The long-lasting effect of the Wyoming Valley Conference’s switch to the fall season continued over the weekend when MMI Prep decided to fold its program after four losses to start its season, MMI Prep coach Nino Campagna confirmed.

The Preppers began the year with 13 players. Injuries and other losses cut the MMI Prep roster to nine girls, forcing them to start every game two-players down.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get any more kids,” Campagna said. “It’s a small school. We couldn’t get any more commitments. We had 13 when we started. We ended up with nine.”

MMI Prep had scored two goals while allowing 51 goals through four games. Joey Kress and Mikyla Dave scored both of the Prepper goals in a loss to Pittston Area. Campagna said it was a difficult decision to make, despite trying every feasible avenue to recruit more players.

“Most of the players didn’t take it very well,” he said. “They were really upset that we couldn’t finish out the season. It’s hard to get girls to play here. Almost every girl at that school already plays a sport.”

MMI Prep joins GAR as the second school in as many years to cut its girls soccer program since the PIAA eliminated spring girls soccer. Campagna said he ultimately blames the season change as the reason for the the program’s demise.

“Since they moved the sport to the fall, everyone got hurt,” Campagna said. “It’s been especially hard on the smaller schools that have to compete with field hockey. You see that with what has happened in the past few years. You see that with some of the smaller schools, like Meyers and Wyoming Seminary, in the standings.”

District 2 girls soccer chair Vito Quaglia was unable able to be reached for comment. If the past is precedent, all results over MMI Prep and its subsequent statistics, will not be carried over in district and conference standings; however, Hanover Area, Pittston Area, Berwick and Tunkhannock’s victories over MMI Prep will be considered non-league games.

Early looks

Perhaps the most surprising team out of the gate has been Hanover Area. The Hawkeyes generated just four wins a year ago and won its first three games — four including the MMI Prep win — of the season. Hanover Area outscored its opponents by only six goals (9-3) and was in a scoreless tie through 22 minutes with Pittston Area before Thursday’s rain postponed the game.

Larissa Bannon leads the Hawkeyes with eight points on three goals and two assists. Amelia Hossage notched three goals in as many games.

The league’s top two teams from a year ago — Berwick and Dallas — are again at the top of the standings and neither have allowed a goal so far this season.

Berwick hasn’t skipped a beat with the graduation of much of its defense, posting shutouts over Meyers, Nanticoke and Tunkhannock. Dallas (5-0) has already shut out four of the team’s best teams with clean sheets over Wyoming Valley West, Coughlin, Pittston Area and Holy Redeemer.

Six of the Mountaineers’ 21 goals have both come from Ashley Strazdus and Talia Szatkowski.

The rest of the pack have shown that the race for the district playoff spots will be a tight battle. Crestwood (3-2) pulled off a thrilling 5-3 win on Sept. 3 over WVC power Coughlin with four goals in a 20-minute span. Tunkhannock (3-2) put itself into the picture with a 1-0 win at Crestwood on Wednesday, thanks to a game-winning goal from Cassi Werner.

Top strikers

Lake-Lehman’s Shoshana Mahoney and Holy Redeemer’s Lydia Lawson lead the league in points (20) and goals (nine). Coughlin’s Nora Fazzi and Tunkhannock’s Cheyenne Brown are atop the assists leaderboard with six set-ups.

Wyoming Valley Conference Girls Soccer Standings

Team`Record`GF`GA

Dallas`5-0`21`0

Berwick`3-0`11`0

Hanover Area`3-0`9`3

Lake-Lehman`3-1`22`10

Wyoming Valley West`3-1`14`7

Pittston Area`2-1-1`16`11

Coughlin`3-2`23`8

Crestwood`3-2`17`8

Tunkhannock`3-2`12`8

Holy Redeemer`2-2-1`17`4

Wyoming Area`2-2`8`14

Nanticoke`0-3`2`14

Wyoming Seminary`0-4`3`21

Meyers`0-5`2`30

Hazleton Area`0-6`2`33

WVC Girls Soccer Leaders

Points

1. Shoshana Mahoney LL`20

1. Lydia Lawson HR`20

3. Mary Tona COU`19

4. Cheyenne Brown TUN`18

5. Talia Szatkowski DAL`17

5. Emily Schramm HR`17

7. Allie Barber PA`16

8. Ashley Strazdus DAL`15

9. Emma Sukowaski COU`14

9. Gabby Termini CRE`14

Goals

1. Lydia Lawson HR`9

1. Shoshana Mahoney LL`9

3. Mary Tona COU`7

3. Emma Sukowaski COU`7

3. Allie Barber PA`7

6. Cheyenne Brown TUN`6

6. Gabby Termini CRE`6

6. Ashley Strazdus DAL`6

6. Talia Szatkowski DAL`6

6. Emily Schramm HR`6

Assists

1. Nora Fazzi COU`6

1. Cheyenne Brown TUN`6

3. Mary Tona COU`5

3. Talia Szatkowski DAL`5

3. Emily Sutton LL`5

3. Emily Schramm HR`5

7. Madison Mimnaugh PA`4

8. Megan Lercara COU`3

8. Olivia Termini CRE`3

8. Ashley Strazdus DAL`3

8. Katie Snedeker DAL`3

8. Julia Hutsko LL`3

8. Kaylee Hillard LL`3

8. Olivia Gregorio HR`3