Under new coach, Sewickley Academy girls soccer looks to take next step

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 8, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Gary Weber has a compelling background in soccer and is resolute when it comes to his favorite sport.

Weber, first-year coach of the Sewickley Academy girls soccer team, competed on the pitch at Shaler, Mercyhurst and with the Beadling Soccer Club.

He has been coaching soccer for 30 years.

“I started the boys soccer program at Carlynton High School and stayed for 13 seasons, moved over to Chartiers Valley and was with the boys program for 15 seasons, then I spent two years as an assistant with Ron Wilcher at Mt. Lebanon,” Weber said. “I’m currently coaching with Beadling Soccer Club and have been with the club for 25 years.”

Wilcher, who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2022, won 477 games and six WPIAL championships in 31 years at Mt. Lebanon.

Weber is head coach of Beadling SC’s 2008 girls team and an assistant for the 2011 boys.

Along with his coaching duties with Beadling, he is the director of the regional league teams and also serves on the Beadling Leadership Council.

Weber succeeded Dale Giovengo as Sewickley’s field boss.

“My general philosophy with a high school team is to master the fundamentals and fitness for each player,” he said. “Once we improve individually on the technical aspects of the game, we move onto our tactical discussions.”

The Sewickley girls have advanced to the WPIAL playoffs four times in five years, including 2023 when they lost in the first round.

“The team is looking to improve on last season’s regular season record of 9-7,” Weber said. “The first-round exit was disappointing; we look to improve on our postseason play.

“The team is well balanced. We have players returning with a good deal of game experience from last season. We are still evaluating players to make sure they are placed in the position to achieve the most success as a team and individually.”

The Panthers are led by all-WPIAL senior forward Katherine Varghese, who racked up a team-high 25 goals last season. Varghese has scored 44 times in her first three seasons of varsity competition.

“Our new coach has worked very hard to assess each player’s personal strengths and weaknesses and to put them in a position that is the most suitable for our team,” Varghese said. “Coach Weber is extremely knowledgeable about the game. His practices constantly push us to become to the best versions of ourselves.

“We are working hard to make it to playoffs and are set on advancing past the first round.”

Sewickley’s early season lineup also includes forward Makenzie Dice, center midfielders Emma Eannarino and Olivia Stefanik, wingers Grace Jardini and Marin Edmunds, defenders Quincy Sirko, Emilia Carrabba, Isabella Ballard and Josie Courtney and goalkeeper Marie Bigi.

Despite having only one senior on last year’s squad, the Panthers are still young this season with Varghese, Sirko and Bigi the only seniors in the lineup.

Dice, Edmunds and Ballard are juniors while Eannarino, Stefanik, Jardini, Carrabba and Courtney are sophomores.

Sirko started at forward last season and scored 15 goals. Sirko and Varghese are co-captains again this year.

“Our touch on the ball has continued to improve since coach Weber has emphasized it a lot,” Sirko said. “If we continue to play with the same discipline we started the season with, I think there is no reason why we can’t win our section this year. We have the potential to be a very competitive playoff team as long as we continue to develop our skills and unity with one another.

“Our goal is to make it into the WPIAL tournament and get as far as we can. A big goal for our defense is to shut out as many teams as possible.”

Varghese liked what she saw in Sewickley’s preseason scrimmage against South Side, a 5-0 win by the Panthers, as well as her team’s season-opening 4-3 victory against Aquinas Academy.

“Our back line is looking very solid,” she said. “Our midfield has some crucial players with great soccer IQs. And our front line has great technical ability.”

Rounding out this year’s team at Sewickley are senior Jade Rychel, junior Raneem Wahdan, sophomores Nalani Brayley and Mya Spadafore and freshmen Gabrielle Edmunds, Isabela Lima and Renae Phillip-Knight.

Varghese, Sirko and Bigi were named all-section in 2023.

Tags: Sewickley Academy