Sep 5, 2017 3 min read

The Canon-McMillan girls’ soccer team is going to look a lot different walking onto the field than the day it walked off the snowy turf at Hersheypark Stadium.

Gold medals hanging around the necks of the Big Macs distracted them from thinking about the frigid temperatures. They were relishing their first state title after Addie Roman scored the only goal to give C-M a 1-0 overtime victory over Central Bucks West in the PIAA Class 4A final.

Players like Aideen O’Donoghue and Sabrina Bryan are playing at the collegiate level, but Canon-McMillan realizes that everyone wants a piece of the state champs when the season begins at Connellsville tonight at 7:30 p.m.

“I have already been drilling it into their head that every game this season is a playoff game,” said head coach Dave Derrico. “Everybody wants to beat the state champions. We are carrying a target. It is important for us to understand that we have to prepare even harder.”

With the graduation of two Division I players, O’Donoghue at Pitt and Bryan at Hofstra, the Big Macs are relying on the experience underclassmen received in last season’s undefeated regular season and lengthy playoff run.

Canon-McMillan averaged slightly more than five goals per game in the regular season with its only blemish coming on a 2-2 draw against Bethel Park. The Big Macs only loss of the season came in the WPIAL Championship game, 3-1, to Norwin.

“Last year was wonderful to watch because of how they got refocused after losing in the WPIAL Championship,” said Derrico, who is heading into his 16th season as head coach at C-M. “We made a heck of a state playoff run. It’s not an easy thing to be able to refocus after a difficult loss. We learned from our mistakes and got better every week.”

Derrico will look to Roman, now a junior, and sophomore Annabel Thomas, who each netted winners in the playoffs, for consistent scoring.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Barzd will take the place of Megan Virgin, who had nine shutouts a year ago. She will be helped down the middle by seniors Riley O’Korn and center midfielder Madison Whipple.

Jaiden Williams and Emily Clopp will flank the defensive effort at left back and right back, respectively.

“The one thing we really learned was to not panic when someone scores a goal against us,” Derrico said. “We still come back with a lot of experience and are filling in with some younger players.”

Youth will have to prevail in deep section with Upper St. Clair and Peters Township, who are always competitive, and Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park and Baldwin.

“It’s hard when you graduate six great seniors,” Derrico said. “We’re still feeling our way. We’re a little inconsistent at the moment but can’t rest on last year’s accomplishments. We just have to go and do it again. We have to take it one game at a time. You can’t worry about the next day or week. If we keep that attitude, we will be OK.

“Winning is a habit. We are nobody’s doormat anymore.”