Despite small roster, Gateway girls soccer team chasing playoff berth

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 27, 2023 | 11:01 AM

The Gateway varsity girls soccer team fields one of the smaller rosters in recent memory with just 20 active players for the 2023 season.

That leaves the program without a JV team.

But Caleb Kyper, who enters his second season at the helm of the Gators, said the returning and younger players have put a lot of work in to be ready for the challenges of a daunting schedule.

“The girls understand that we have lost an abundance of speed and experience with our graduating seniors,” he said.

“The cool thing about this group is that they are not intimidated by the challenges ahead. With limited numbers this year, we have grown into a pretty tight-knit group that has a quiet confidence and belief that we can and will compete for a win every game.

“Once again, we find ourselves in an incredibly competitive section which will test that resilience and confidence for sure. However, from what I’ve witnessed this preseason, I’m excited to see what these girls bring on game day.”

A group of five starters were lost to graduation, including midfielder Madi Jesih, now a member of the women’s team at Division I Robert Morris, and last year’s leading scorer in midfielder Emily Mannion (Clarion).

Kyper will be counting on a group of returning starters led by captains Jada Settles (senior, goalkeeper), Becca Ryan (senior, defender), Gracyn Fry (junior, defender) and Hayden Price (junior, forward).

Settles and Ryan are the team’s only two seniors.

Price led the Gators in assists last year as Mannion fronted the attack with 15 goals.

Settles, Kyper said, is a rock in net who will provide secure backup to the defenders. She earned all-section honors both last year and in 2021.

Also back with starting experience are Addi Helman (junior, midfielder) and Meghan Marsh (sophomore, midfielder).

Kyper said Julia Beam, a sophomore who figures into the mix at a midfield spot and also as a backup keeper, also should be among the team’s impact players.

Sophomore defender Emily Werner also started games last year, but she will miss this season because of a knee injury.

Kyper said a scrimmage against Woodland Hills last Wednesday and a scheduled scrimmage with Elizabeth Forward on Friday hopefully would answer any lingering questions about the team’s position heading into Monday’s regular-season and section opener against Plum.

“We’ve been working a lot on formations with this new group, and with the first live action, it was important to see who was going to excel in what positions,” Kyper said.

“With the short roster, we are kind of limited with the number of players we have, but it’s still a matter of putting the parts together to get the most out of the team.”

Gateway also was to face section rival Penn Hills on Wednesday before hosting Franklin Regional in section play next Wednesday (Sept. 6).

Kyper said the Gators should be able to challenge for a WPIAL playoff spot that goes to each of the top four teams in the section.

Plum (11-1) comes into the season as the defending Section 3 champion. Latrobe (10-1-1) was the section runner-up. Both the Mustangs and Wildcats made the WPIAL semifinals and qualified for states.

Franklin Regional and Penn-Trafford also qualified for the WPIAL playoffs from the section.

The Warriors grabbed the fourth and final postseason berth with 18 points. The Gators’ 5-7-1 record put them in fifth with 13 points.

Gateway hopes to return to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus.

“As a coaching staff, this season we are looking forward to being able to focus more on section games with fewer nonsection games scheduled,” Kyper said.

“Injuries really took their toll on us last year, so we are taking a step back on the number of overall games to try and keep our girls healthy and on the pitch. It really goes to show what a great group of coaches and staff we have in this section because there just aren’t any easy games to hang your hat on. With that in mind, our expectation is to compete for a playoff spot and get our girls back to where they belong.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway