Council Rock North has an understanding coach

The unbeaten Council Rock North girls' soccer team (10-0) is sitting atop the Suburban One League National Conference and is ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer.

Larry Sullivan, a veteran coach but in his first year directing a girls' team, realizes how lucky he is to have such a talented squad. And he's enjoying it.

"I have a mother, four sisters, a wife, a daughter, and two daughters-in-law," the 63-year-old coach said. "I think I'm close to understanding women. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there."

He at least has gotten his players to buy into a new system that he believes works better for the women's game.

While a large number of soccer teams use a 4-4-2 system (four backs, four midfielders, and two forwards, plus goalie), Sullivan's Indians use a 4-3-3 lineup.

"It means we can get more help quicker up front," Sullivan explained. "Soccer is soccer, but I think we've brought some good nuances to the women's game."

Alexa Hone joins Sarah Scheidell and Caitlin Hannagen up front. All are seniors.

The back four - Kaitlin McNamara, Juliah Wexler, Nicole Antolino, and Andrea Mateer - along with goalies Helena Gemmell and Danielle DiGuglielmo have limited the opposition to one goal this season. All are seniors.

"We're loaded with talent on the field and on the bench. I've never had so much talent in my life," said Sullivan, who coached at Father Judge and then spent 17 years with the men's program at Villanova before going to North.

"We know we have a long way to go before the season's over. We play Truman [on Wednesday] and Neshaminy on Friday. That's a very big league game for us."

The Redskins are 7-2.

Happy returns? Unionville coach Joe Ratasiewicz hopes that the return of a couple of key players in the next week or so can help his team make a run to another berth in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs.

Unionville has lost some tough games without Maddy Farraro and Nikki Ortiz, who have been injured.

The Indians are 5-5-1 overall, 5-3 in the Ches-Mont League American Division.

"It's been a little disappointing," said Ratasiewicz, who lost 12 seniors from last year's team and starts three seniors, a junior, six sophomores, and a freshman.

"At times, we lose our focus. We lost, 2-1, to Strath Haven, and West Chester Henderson in overtime. We had two shots in the overtime against Strath Haven and lost on a ricochet shot. We lost to West Chester East, 1-0, in the last 10 minutes. We have talent; it's just a maturity factor."

Jems ranked 11th. Villa Joseph Marie is the only area school in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's latest top-25 rankings. The Jems are No. 11.

Council Rock North, No. 1 in both the Pennsylvania Soccer Association (big school) and Inquirer rankings, received votes in the national poll, but not enough to break the top 25.

The NSCAA Region III rankings (Pennsylvania and New Jersey schools) list Villa Joseph Marie second, behind the Pennington School of New Jersey.

Council Rock North is ranked No. 5, followed by Pennridge at No. 6. Other area ranked schools are Strath Haven (8), Council Rock South (12), Conestoga (14), and West Chester Rustin (15).

In the Pennsylvania association's big-school rankings, Council Rock North is followed by Pennridge (2), Strath Haven (3), Council Rock South (4), Conestoga (6), West Chester Rustin (7), Archbishop Wood (8), and Boyertown (10).

Villa Joseph Marie is tops in the state association's small-school rankings.

Team Record

Records are through Monday.

Last week's rankings in parentheses.

1. Council Rock N. (6) 10-0

2. Strath Haven (1) 9-1

3. Pennridge (2) 11-1

4. Conestoga (3) 9-2

5. Villa Joseph Marie (5) 10-0

6. Council Rock S. (8) 9-2

7. W.C. Henderson (NR) 9-1

8. West Chester East (9) 10-2

9. Central Bucks E. (4) 7-3-1

10. Germantown Ac. (6) 7-0-2

Under consideration (listed alphabetically): Archbishop Wood (7-2), Boyertown (9-1-1), Downingtown East (7-3), Downingtown West (7-4), Hatboro-Horsham (7-2-1), Neshaminy (7-2), Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-0-1), West Chester Rustin (11-1-1).

- Don Beideman
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