Aquinas Academy field hockey gets off to fast start with WPIAL title in its sights

By: John Grupp
Saturday, September 14, 2024 | 11:01 AM

One of the first things new Aquinas Academy field hockey coach Albert Casas told his players is that “winning is a consequence, not a goal.”

But after losing in the WPIAL Class A finals three years in a row, the Crusaders’ goal definitely involves winning.

“I know all of them want to win. It’s understandable,” said Casas, who replaced Erin Queen to become the program’s third coach in as many years. “But when I first met with the players, I said … ‘If we do the right things and we do things correctly, then maybe we will win. Work hard, have consistency and then maybe we will win. But it is a consequence, not a goal by itself.’ That’s what is important to me.”

So far, Aquinas is doing all the right things under its first-year coach. After a loss to Peters Township in their opener, the Crusaders blanked defending WPIAL Class A champion Shady Side Academy, 2-0, on Sept. 3 in a rematch of last year’s title game and then two days later edged Oakland Catholic, 2-1.

“That was huge for us, for sure,” junior midfielder Elliot Keverline said of the Shady Side win. “We have a lot to learn, but we’ve had some really exciting games. I’m excited to see how we can learn and play better as we go.”

Said Casas, “Shady Side always has a great team, so for us, that victory was a great success. Everybody was extremely happy. The team played great.”

Casas, 52, was hired this summer after working as an assistant last season under Queen, who stepped down for personal reasons. Casas is a former Aquinas middle school coach and field hockey goalkeeper in Spain. His staff includes assistant coach Stephanie Van Ingen, a former Syracuse player who runs a club team in Cranberry.

“It’s definitely been an adjustment having a new head coach,” Keverline said, “but he’s been doing really good things for us and I’ve been impressed.”

Aquinas (3-1 as of Sept. 10) returned nine starters from last year’s 7-4-1 team, which lost to Shady Side Academy, 3-2, in double overtime in the WPIAL finals. The Crusaders lost to Ellis School in the ‘22 finals and Shady Side in the ‘21 championship.

Joining Keverline as returning starters are a trio of seniors — forward Zoe Solomond, who scored both goals in the Oakland Catholic win, and defenders Katherine Repasky, a 2023 all-WPIAL pick, and Anne Dolan. Also back this season are junior midfielder Francesca Hite, junior right wing Felicity Koble and a trio of sophomores, goalie Aarona Casas Arnedos, the coach’s daughter, midfielder Grace Chrobak and forward Claire Urban.

With only five schools in the WPIAL Class A — Aquinas, Ellis School, Oakland Catholic, Shady Side and Winchester Thurston — the Crusaders are virtually assured of a spot in the WPIAL semifinals. The shutout victory over perennial power Shady Side, winner of five of the past six WPIAL titles, gives the tiny Hampton Catholic school a lot of confidence.

The rivals will play again Sept. 19 at Shady Side Academy and Oct. 8 at Aquinas’ home field, the North Park Sports Complex.

Aquinas has no freshman on the varsity roster, but nine of the 15 players are sophomores, including forward Julia Jurewicz, who scored against Shady Side Academy in the early season win.

Other sophomores are forwards Aurora Predis and Taddy Ridings, a first-year varsity player, midfielders Alice Dingle and Maria Repasky and defender Brigid Mercer.

Keverline said the players are motivated by the bitter taste of last year’s double-OT WPIAL finals loss.

“We all know what it feels like and we are all really pumped to make it there again,” she said. “We know that we can win this year.”

Tags: Aquinas Academy