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There was always something ineffable keeping Coughlin from the district championship. Twelve seasons of being a perennial girls soccer power, only to suffer a letdown in the playoffs time and time again.
The solution to finally getting giant monkey off its back came down to a change of roles for one of the league’s most exciting players for the past four seasons. Moving senior Mary Tona to the midfield in turn allowed Coughlin’s depth to flourish en route to their first district championship since the spring 2004 season.
Her role in the Coughlin team’s success solidified her case for Times Leader Player of the Year in girls soccer for 2015.
“Her moving to center-mid was crucial to our success because it allowed us to move other girls around,” Coughlin coach Joe Spagnuolo Jr. said. “Had she not assumed that role, our offense would not have worked. She was covering 18-to-18 (yard line) as the only mid in the center of the field. She was everywhere.”
Tona finished with 31 goals and 81 points this season. While she had always been a goal scorer, Tona commanded the Coughlin offense with 20 assists, setting up ample opportunities for Skyler Panattieri, Kendall Pearage, Emma Sukowaski and Hailee Dumont.
“Last year, she was a goal scorer,” Spagnuolo said. “All she had to do was overpower defenders with her size and speed. This year, as a midfielder, she had to make plays. Even if she didn’t get an assist, she would make the first pass on almost every time. Her vision on the field is exceptional. You don’t see that much at the high school level.”
She joined Holy Redeemer’s Lydia Lawson as a two-time Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All-State team member. In a shutout of GAR, Tona scored her 100th career goal on Oct. 6.
Tona plans to play soccer collegiately but is undecided on where she’ll be attending next fall. She plans on choosing a math-related major. Tona also competes in hurdles and relay events for Coughlin’s track and field team.
Tona commanded her team to a District 2 Class 2A championship in a thrilling 2-2 game that needed 15 rounds of penalty kicks to decide a winner. Trailing 2-0 to Scranton Prep, Tona turned Coughlin’s fortunes around with a strike from 27 yards away. Later, she left three Classics defender in her dust to assist Skyler Panattieri in the 78th minute to even the contest and ultimately send it overtime.
“I take the year as a success,” she said. “We accomplished our main goal to win districts.”
During penalty kicks, Tona was successful on both of her chances in the 12-11 finish.
“That was the most emotional game I’ve ever played in,” Tona said. “There was so much anxiety to take place. It was a lot of stress just watching penalty kicks.”
Coughlin made it to the PIAA tournament for the first time in Tona’s career. Midd-West ended the team’s run by a 1-0 score in the first round.
Tona credits the atmosphere around her Coughlin team. The team’s depth and dominance showed in a 4-0 victory of Dallas in the district semifinal. Coughlin defeated their rival twice this year to end a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers. It ended the year with a 17-2-1 record.
“We had a really close bond with this team,” Tona said. “I think that this was the year were the most like a family. It created a homier environment, and it made everything go a lot smoother on the field.”
