Youth, experience making for memorable season at Trinity
Thirteen games into the girls high school soccer season, Trinity first-year coach David Sinclair admits he still doesn’t know how good his team is or can be.
At this point in the season, with an 11-2 overall record and 7-2 mark in Section 3-AAA, all the proof Sinclair needs is the number in the wins column.
A win over Obama Academy Wednesday night gave the Hillers what they have been desperately seeking for the first time this century: a berth in the WPIAL playoffs.
“Our goal was to make the playoffs,” Sinclair, the fourth coach in four years, said. “I thought that if we could take care of the teams we are supposed to and win a couple of games then we could make it.
With four wins to start the season, the Hillers are on another long winning streak that makes them a team to be reckoned with in the postseason. Trinity has won its last six games, including five shutout victories, and are tied for the second most wins in the WPIAL.
“The start was very big because it gave the girls the confidence that they can win,” Sinclair said. “One of the main things I wanted to focus on was building a team chemistry and bonding. I’ve found with girls – in 14 years of coaching cup soccer – that the more they like one another the better they play. They have worked hard and bought into the game plan, pressure the ball, keep it moving and if you don’t have the ball to go get it back.”
Another aspect of Trinity’s most recent run is that Sinclair gave the Hillers more rest when the schedule demanded four games in a seven-day span.
“Sometimes a day off is more than anything I can teach them in an hour and a half,” Sinclair said. “It helps when you get to this point in the season.”
And the likelihood of this being a one-year wonder for the Hillers is pretty small as each of their top four scorers are underclassmen. Freshman Alyssa Clutter has a team-high 19 goals. Sophomore Sam Schury has scored 12 goals, and Courtney Dahlquist and Hannah Abbondanza each have eight.
They are balanced by a group of seniors – defenders Haley Jenkins and Bailey Bell, outside midfielder Julia Chakos and goalkeeper Sara Kuhns – who have helped hold Trinity’s opponents to only 10 goals in 13 games.
“We just want to be consistent and playing at a higher level more consistently throughout games,” Sinclair said. “Our last three games are against the top three teams in the section. That’s going to get us ready (for the playoffs).”