4 Quaker Valley girls hockey players compete in national championships

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, April 14, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Four Quaker Valley girls advanced with their teams to the 2024 USA Hockey national championships in various cities across the country.

QV senior Sydney Hewitt, junior Emily Reiner, freshman Isabel King and seventh-grader Grace Keisel recently competed with their Steel City Selects girls hockey team as MidAm champions in their respective age divisions.

Hewitt, 18, traveled with Steel City Selects to East Lansing, Mich., for the 19U national tournament. SCS ended up 34-14-7 overall.

“We were very successful this year, beating multiple prep school teams and winning three tournaments,” Hewitt said. “We were a very tight group of girls, spending most of our time together. We all worked very well together, and I think that really contributed to our success.”

Hewitt has played for Steel City Selects for five years. She also competes on the QV girls lacrosse team as a midfielder/attacker.

“This year, winning the MidAm championship was harder than past years,” Hewitt said. “The competition gets harder and harder, but with all the work we put in, we knew we were prepared. It was more bittersweet this year because it was my last MidAm tournament that I would be playing in. Being able to experience this championship with my teammates and best friends was amazing.

“Winning this tournament also secured a spot in the national championships, which was our main goal from Day 1.”

The 19U squad went 3-0 in the round robin portion of the national event and beat the No. 1-ranked team in the country. SCS advanced to the semifinal round.

“We actually just got back from the national championships,” Hewitt said. “Even though we didn’t quite make our goal of the championship game, being able to come home with a bronze medal was still very rewarding.”

Reiner, 16, enjoyed a career year for the SCS 16U team that advanced to the national tournament in Green Bay, Wisc., where it picked up one victory.

Reiner generated a whopping 90 points this season from her center position, amassing 56 goals and 34 assists.

“Although it did not finish how we would have liked, I thought we had an amazing season,” Reiner said. “My team was filled with hard-working and skilled players and just all-around great people.

“For me, it was the most successful season in my career so far.”

Reiner netted the game-winning OT goal that won the MidAm regional tournament and sent the SCS team to nationals.

“It was incredible,” she said. “It was such a big accomplishment beating our hometown rival, the South Pittsburgh Rebellion, 2-1, to win the championship.”

Reiner, who stands 6-foot-1, is the starting goalkeeper on the QV girls lacrosse team.

King competed as a forward for the Steel City Selects’ 14U team at the national tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D.

“We had a great season. We worked really hard as a team to get to nationals,” she said. “I thought we played really well during districts. The championship game was nerve-racking, but we got the win.”

A midfielder in girls lacrosse, the 15-year-old King and her SCS teammates captured one victory at the national event.

“We played really hard against some great teams,” she said. “SCS is a great organization that really focuses on the girls. I’d like to thank the SCS and QVHA coaches for really pushing me to be a better player.”

Keisel, 13, also skated on the SCS 14U team in South Dakota.

“This was my favorite hockey season,” Keisel said. “I love my teammates. We had a lot of success and lots of fun.

“I was really excited about winning the MidAm championship because I was eager to go to nationals and I thought it was a big accomplishment.”

Keisel participates in sports year-round. She also plays volleyball at QV and at a defensive position on the girls lacrosse team.

Tags: Quaker Valley