FIELD HOCKEY: All PAC-10 teams

ALL-PAC FIELD HOCKEY
 
First Team
 
Liberty Division

Alexa Hoover, senior, Methacton, offense; Emma Christman, senior, Owen J. Roberts, offense; Gabby Major, senior, Spring-Ford, offense; Brittany Dickinson, junior, Methacton, midfield; Ashley Kucera, senior, Owen J. Roberts, midfield; Kelsey Giese, sophomore, Perkiomen Valley, midfield; Molly Carr, senior, Methacton, defense; Lauren Schweppe, senior, Owen J. Roberts, defense; Rachel Hamm, senior, Perkiomen Valley, defense; Samantha Steele, junior, Methacton, goalie; Savanna Malloy, senior, Spring-Ford, swing player.

Frontier Division

Bailey Quinn, junior, Phoenixville, offense; Jordan Kengor, senior, Pope John Paul II, offense, Casey Umstead, senior, Upper Perkiomen, offense; Katie McErlean, sophomore, Phoenixville, midfield; Madelyn Fox, senior, Upper Perkiomen, midfield; Natalie Ciuta, senior Upper Perkiomen, midfield; Allison Trafford, junior, Phoeniville, defense; Morgan Aldinger, senior, Upper Perkiomen, defense; Samantha Dingler, junior, Upper Perkiomen, defense; Tyisha Reddick, junior, Pottstown, goalie; Jessica Wayock, senior, Pope John Paul II, swing player.

Second Team

Haley Wentzel, senior, Boyertown, offense; Maddie Mullen, senior, Owen J. Roberts, offense; Annie Himsworth, junior, Perkiomen Valley, offense; Gabby Binando, junior, Boyertown, midfield; Maddie Alderfer, sophomore, Methacton, midfield; Alex Montes, senior, Owen J. Roberts, midfield; Maggie Morgan, senior, Boyertown, defense; Nettie Montes, sophomore, Owen J. Roberts, defense; Taylor Brennan, junior, Spring-Ford, defense; Lizzy Tamburro, senior, Owen J. Roberts, goalie; Madison Mackewicz, senior, Pottstown, swing player; Julie O’Connor, senior, Pope John Paul II, swing player.

Honorable Mention

Andrea Wysocki, senior, Boyertown, offense; Rose Moore, sophomore, Phoenixville, offense; Alyssa O’Neill, sophomore, Pottsgrove, offense; Hannah Costello, senior, Pottstown, offense; Laura Shelton, sophomore, Perkiomen Valley, midfield; Jen Rees, sophomore, Methacton, defense; Ally Mooney, senior, Owen J. Roberts, goalie; Rachel Everly, senior, Pope John Paul II, goalie; Dante Vagnoni, junior, Spring-Ford, goalie; Hannah Mack, junior, Upper Perkiomen, goalie.

COLLEGE SIGNINGS: Methacton trio set to join the college ranks

Photo by Rick Kauffman/JRC Three Methacton seniors officially signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college Wednesday. Brandon Bossard, center, will play football for Eastern Michigan University while field hockey players Alexis Tasca, left, and Asia Crawford, right, will continue their hockey careers at Shippensburg and the University of Connecticut, respectively.

By Rick Kauffman
rkauffman@journalregister.com

FAIRVIEW VILLAGE — Three athletes from Methacton signed letters of intent Wednesday, solidifying the opportunity to continue their sporting careers at the collegiate level.
Brandon Bossard will play quarterback at Eastern Michigan University while field hockey players Asia Crawford and Alexis Tasca have accepted scholarships to the University of Connecticut and Shippensburg University, respectively.

(For complete story, click here ... )

COLLEGE SIGNING: Rams’ Vagnoni picks Michigan State

John Strickler/The Mercury Simone Vagnoni, left, signs her letter to attend Michigan State, alongside her mother Rachel Vagnoni. Standing at left are assistant coach Mallory Greene, brother Dante Vagnoni, father John Vagnoni and Spring-Ford field hockey coach Jennie Moore.

By Dennis Weller
Special to The Mercury

ROYERSFORD — Goal scorers may get the headlines, but it’s impossible to measure the value of a solid leader on the defensive side, and that’s the role Simone Vagnoni played for undefeated Pioneer Athletic Conference field hockey champion Spring-Ford this past fall.
Her senior leadership and nose for the ball were major reasons why the Rams allowed only 29 goals in 20 matches and her shutdown play against the other team’s high scorer was a key to a 3-1 win in the PAC-10 Championship.
Now she’ll be taking her game to the next level when she continues her education at Michigan State University, a school of nearly 49,000 students in East Lansing, Mich.

(For complete story, click here ... )

COLLEGE SIGNING: Phoenixville’s Ali Meszaros going to Temple

Photo by Barry Taglieber Phoenixville’s Ali Meszaros, right, will play field hockey at Temple.

By Barry Sankey
bsankey@journalregister.com

PHOENIXVILLE — Back in seventh grade, Ali Meszaros ventured to a field hockey camp at Temple University.
Now, five years later, the Phoenixville senior has decided to attend Temple on an athletic scholarship for field hockey.
Meszaros made her announcement official Wednesday when she signed a national letter of intent during a briefing at the Phoenixville High School television studio.

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COLLEGE SIGNING: Perkiomen Valley’s Natalie Marsh headed to American

Photo courtesy of Perkiomen Valley High School Natalie Marsh signs a letter of intent to play field hockey at American University. Seated with Natalie is her mother Elizabeth Mosteller. Back row, from left: father John Marsh, coach Erik Enters, stepfather Todd Mosteller.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

GRATERFORD — Natalie Marsh knows a thing or two about working together, having been part of a cohesive Perkiomen Valley unit during her high school field hockey career.
She is hopeful to continue that trend in college.
Marsh, a midfielder and All-Area first team selection, signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to accept a scholarship to attend American University in Washington, D.C., and play for the NCAA Division I Eagles.

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COLLEGE SIGNING: Upper Perkiomen’s Carrie Nyce headed to Rider

Photo by Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury Upper Perkiomen’s Carrie Nyce, shown with parents Jamie and Kathy Nyce and coach Jamie Warren, left, signs with Rider University.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

RED HILL — Carrie Nyce felt right at home when she visited Rider University.
Which was a main reason why the Upper Perkiomen field hockey standout will call the Lawrenceville, N.J., campus her home for the next four years.
Nyce, a Mercury All-Area first team selection and two-year captain for the Indians, signed a national letter-of intent Wednesday to accept a scholarship to attend Rider and play for the NCAA Division I Broncs.

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COLLEGE SIGNING: Owen J. Roberts star Heather Morris to Duke

Photo courtesy of Owen J. Roberts Heather Morris signs her letter of intent to play field hockey at Duke. She is joined by her parents Patti and Jack Morris.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

BUCKTOWN — The scholastic field hockey career of Heather Morris may have ended on an unfortunate note when she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a midseason Pioneer Athletic Conference game against Upper Perkiomen.
But the beginning of her college career appears to be filled with positives and promise.
The decorated Owen J. Roberts senior made her future plans official Wednesday, signing a national letter of intent to accept a scholarship to attend the University of Duke and play for the Blue Devils.

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ALL-AREA FIELD HOCKEY: Spring-Ford’s Gabby Major is Player of the Year

Spring-Ford's Gabby Major is The Mercury's All-Area Field Hockey Player of the Year.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — Spring-Ford’s Gabby Major possesses a dazzling blend of stickwork and speed, tools that made her the Queen of the circle this fall when it came to Pioneer Athletic Conference field hockey.
Major, a junior forward who netted a team-high 37 goals for the PAC-10 champion Rams, is The Mercury’s 2012 All-Area Field Hockey Player of the Year.
The daughter of Paul and Maisie Major, Gabby joins older brother Paul (last year’s All-Area Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year) as a rare sibling duo to earn that accolade.
A three-time first-team All-Area selection who has already committed to the University of North Carolina, Major helped Spring-Ford bring home its first league championship in 11 years and was a big reason why the Rams won their first 19 games before a season-ending loss in the first round of the District 1-Class AAAA playoffs.

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ALL-AREA: Field hockey teams

AUDREE BONAVITA

FIRST TEAM
Gabby Major, Spring-Ford
Junior ... Forward ... Three-time first team selection ... Liberty Division first team pick ... PHSFHCA Class AAA first-team pick. ... NFHCA All-Region first-team selection. ... NFHCA first-team All-American pick. ... Racked up 37 goals and 13 assists to help Rams go unbeaten in Liberty Division play en route to first PAC-10 championship since 2001. ... Member of U-19 U.S. national team. ... Netted four goals in 5-1 league semifinal victory over Phoenixville, then scored two goals in a 3-1 championship victory over Upper Perkiomen. ... Committed to the University of North Carolina. ... The Mercury’s 2012 Field Hockey Player of the Year.

Casey Umstead, Upper Perkiomen
Junior ... Forward ... Frontier Division first team pick. ... PHSFHCA Class AA first team selection. ... NFHCA All-Region second-team selection. ... Led league in both scoring (40) and assists (17) to help Indians win Frontier Division crown and advance to PAC-10 final, District 1-AA final and PIAA-AA tournament. ... Member of U-19 U.S. National team and indoor national team. ... Had two goals in a 5-2 PAC-10 Final Four semifinal win over Perkiomen Valley.

Alexa Hoover, Methacton
Junior. ... Forward. ... Repeat first team selection. ... Liberty Division first team pick. ... PHSFHCA Class AAA honorable mention selection. ... Led Warriors in scoring with 34 goals while also contributing eight assists. ... Had three goals in an 87-second span in a 7-1 victory over Pottstown.

Bailey Quinn, Phoenixville
Sophomore. ... Forward. ... Frontier Division first team pick. ... Scored 23 goals and netted 10 assists for Frontier Division runner-up Phantoms. ... Scored three goals in an 8-1 victory over Pope John Paul II. ... Netted the game-winning tally in OT in a 4-3 victory over Perkiomen Valley.

Alyssa Chillano, Spring-Ford
Junior ... Midfielder ... Three-time All-Area first team selection. ... First team Liberty Division pick. ... PHSFHCA Class AAA first-team selection. ... NFHCA All-Region first-team selection ... NHFCA first-team All-American pick. ... Scored 22 goals and dished out 10 assists for PAC-10 champ Rams, despite missing a couple of weeks while playing for the U.S. National U-21 squad in the Pan American Games in Mexico. ... Committed to the University of Duke.

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