Notebook: Norwin, Penn-Trafford girls soccer coaches double as friends and foes

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 3, 2017 | 7:36 PM

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For eight years, Jackie Bartko and Lauren Karcher played cup soccer together for the local Foothills club.

They went their separate ways for the high school seasons, Bartko (then Jackie Fawcett) to Penn-Trafford, and Karcher (then Lauren Czapor) to Norwin.

They remained close friends throughout college and after — even when they became coaches at their alma maters.

On Saturday afternoon, they will guide their teams against one another in the WPIAL Class 4A championship at Highmark Stadium.

Karcher's fourth-seeded Norwin team (17-1-1) is seeking its third straight title. No. 2 Penn-Trafford (16-3-1) has not won a title since 2003, when Bartko and Karcher were in eighth grade.

Friendship means more than any soccer result, but the coaches are eager to take the longtime rivalry to another level with the finals showdown.

“I played against Lauren all through high school, but we were on the same team from the time we were 10 until 18,” Bartko said. “It was always a rivalry. It's fun now because we keep it friendly, but it's competitive (too).”

Both teams want to win, but they don't exactly hurl hate down on one another.

“I think it's awesome that both of our teams are there,” Karcher said. “We're two deserving teams. I think we can be proud to say our area soccer is making a name for itself and that we're able to say we're a part of it.”

Karcher said the teams have packaged charity fundraisers with their section games the last few years, something that has brought the teams closer. Fundraiser causes included breast cancer awareness along with childhood cancer and cystic fibrosis research.

“It's always a little bit of a fun rivalry,” Karcher said. “We do our charity events together and every year we have done better than the past, so I think that's where we set it apart and make it a positive aspect.

“Obviously, though, this game we're both going to be bringing it.”

Karcher said as players, the two former defensive stalwarts were inseparable and “had the longest throw-ins.”

“Our best memory was beating Beadling in the state cup,” Karcher said. “I played center back and she played outside defense. We were both captains.”

And the road trips created memorable times: “Sleepovers at our hotels during tournaments and watching ‘The Brady Bunch,' ” Karcher said.

Bartko and Karcher also are teachers in their respective districts.

The series

Since 1997, 20 years of the rivalry, Norwin and Penn-Trafford have played 45 times. Penn-Trafford has won 24, Norwin has won 18 and they have tied three times. Two of the draws have come within the last four years.

Since 2002, the Warriors and Knights have played 18 one-goal games. Penn-Trafford won 10 of them.

Release the Hounds

Penn-Trafford's Hannah Nguyen teamed with six Norwin players to win a national championship over the summer. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds' 19U team won the U.S. Club Soccer's National Cup XVI. Norwin's Sam Wexell, Emily Harrigan, Lexy Kendro, Emily Arnold, Katy Ericson and Alyssa Victor also were on the team. Victor was injured and did not play in the finals.

Nguyen and Kendro played center midfield together.

Chess match

Penn-Trafford moved standout senior forward Mackenzie Aunkst out of position in two regular-season games against Norwin, and it paid off. The athletic Aunkst, a West Virginia recruit, played a defensive role at center back to help repel Norwin's firepower. Penn-Trafford did not surrender a goal in 180 minutes.

It remains to be seen if Aunkst will play the same role in the team's third clash, but it would not be a surprise if she did.

“Mackenzie is a versatile player, and that shows how important she is to our team,” Bartko said. “It's great to have a player like that.”

Another rematch?

A glance at the PIAA playoff bracket shows the possibility of yet another meeting between Norwin and Penn-Trafford. If both teams win their state-playoff openers Tuesday, they'll face off again Nov. 11 in the quarterfinals.

Rooting interest

Greensburg Central Catholic made the Class A championship for the eighth consecutive season, and the Centurions brought at least one Norwin fan to the finals. First-year coach Ashley Davis is a Norwin graduate.

GCC and Norwin won WPIAL titles in 2015.

Sister act

Siblings will celebrate a championship, no matter which team wins Saturday.

Both teams have two sets of sisters, Penn-Trafford with Hannah and Sarah Nguyen, and Maria and Anna Sholtes; Norwin with Anna and Natalie Durmis, and Bri and Maddy Rose.

County fair

The Norwin-Penn-Trafford matchup conjures recent memories of all-county finals in other sports.

Just this past softball season, Hempfield clubbed Latrobe, 13-2, in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game at Cal (Pa.)'s Lilley Field.

• In 2014, Penn-Trafford held off Hempfield for the WPIAL Class 4A title in girls basketball at Duquesne's Palumbo Center.

• In 2010, Valley edged rival Burrell, 5-4, for the WPIAL Class AA softball title at Cal.

• And in 2006, Jeannette beat Greensburg Central Catholic, 24-14, for the WPIAL Class AA football title at Heinz Field.

Tickets

Admission to Highmark Stadium for the WPIAL finals is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under 2 get in free.

One ticket covers all title games scheduled for that day only. There are championship games Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The box office opens one hour before the start of the first game.

Parking is $10. The lot is on the west side of the stadium, closest to the Fort Pitt Bridge.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Norwin, Penn-Trafford