What’s the significance of a mid-season non-conference match that otherwise wouldn’t draw much interest?
The Oct. 4 afternoon girls soccer contest between the host Potomac School Panthers and Bishop O’Connell Knights is a rematch of the last three Northern Virginia state- tournament championship finals, in which the high-school teams have taken turns winning. Potomac School won last fall’s and O’Connell the two seasons prior.
The contest has become a big rivalry in recent years among two always good teams.
“We didn’t get to play them during the regular season last year, so I’m glad we found a date to play this year. The match helps prepare us against them if we meet again in the state,” O’Connell coach Alberto Starace said.
Each team returns a number of key players this fall. So there is a good chance they could meet again in the state tournament.
“It’s early, but we are very optimistic about this season,” Starace said. “We have the chance to have more of a potent attack this year.”
Top returners for O’Connell are attack and 2023 leading goal scorer Audrey McKeen; midfielders Megan Lynch, Nora Bruen, Moira Kinsella, Bridget Prophett and Alexandra Llaudes; forwards Mia Salmon, Jessica Knisely, Emerson Hart, Mia Kucey and Hayden McCarty; defenders Mackenzie Barbato, Sadie Smith, Kendall Snow, Alexandra DuRoss, Arden McEldowney, Rachael Zonavetch, Mary Boniface and Molly Kinsella; and goalies Isabella Gorkowski and Mia Morrill.
Sophomore defender Ryana Dill is a talented transfer.
In addition to winning the state, Potomac School also won conference regular-season and tournament titles last fall, earning the Panthers a triple crown of championships and its best season in nprogram history. The team finished with a 13-2-4 record last fall.
Potomac School graduated 11 seniors off last-season’s team, but has many returning players. They include sisters Margit and Grayson Crittenberger, Amory Imperatore, Chloe Lee, Stella Pence, Charlotte Parry, Maya Swanston, Ellis Wilson, Alex Bond, Ally Griswold, Sonali Kaneriya, Aliyah Majeed-Hall, Alden Marin, Julia Saba and Alex Davis.
“We have returners and some new faces,” said Potomac School coach Ross McEwen, in his 18th season in that position. “I think we have the people in place to keep us going like we have despite losing 11 seniors. I like our group.”
One change for the Panthers this season will have Griswold playing back on defense.
“With Ally back there that really solidifies and makes the defense stronger, while we can still have a productive offense,” McEwen said.
Potomac School plays a difficult non-conference schedule with matches against O’Connell, St. John’s, Bishop Ireton, Good Counsel and St. Paul VI Catholic from the Washington Athletic Conference.
NOTES: Potomac School has played in all six Northern Virginia state-tournament championships games, winning the titles in 2019 and 2023 . . . Starace is starting his 39th season as O’Connell’s coach and he has 526 victories at the school. Overall, he has 655 career wins as a high-school coach, winning 129 when he led the public Madison High team for multiple seasons. “I still enjoy coaching and it’s fun,” Starace said.
