Meet the 2024 All-Butler County girls soccer team: North Catholic’s Simone Sharpless is POTY
Simone Sharpless grew up with a soccer ball at her foot, almost as soon as she could walk.
She trailed her older sisters to soccer practices and games, tagged along on bus rides and took a beating when they’d practice in the yard together.
It made Sharpless, now a junior midfielder at North Catholic, “very competitive, especially when it came to my sisters.“
Sharpless has gone on to develop a little of her sisters’ games and may be the best of the three, her dad and Trojanettes head coach DJ Sharpless said. She scored 28 goals and had 14 assists as a super-utility midfielder, and in the process earned the Butler Eagle’s Girls Soccer Player of the Year honor.
The Western Michigan commit — she chose the Broncos for their aviation program to become a commercial pilot over serious interest from Florida, Michigan State, Purdue and Air Force — tops the list of the all-Butler County team of 11 first-team players, plus honorable mentions.
“Simone has the whole package, and she’s probably better than (her sisters),” DJ said. “Simone can do what both of them do. She can keep the ball, attack 1-v-1, she can move the ball.”
North Catholic (17-5) made the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals, losing to Cathedral Prep.
Sharpless, who plays club for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy, was named all-section and All-WPIAL in 2A.
See the rest of the all-county team, with first team listed alphabetically and honorable mentions.
Alyssa Alcorn, jr., G, Freeport
The Yellowjackets went 12-2-1 and made the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals thanks in large part to their defense. Alcorn recorded eight shutouts, among the most in the county, on a team that allowed just 13. She held both playoff opponents scoreless in regulation, with South Park only scoring during a shootout to win the quarterfinal.
Hanna Dailey, jr., M, Karns City
Dailey was one of the most productive playmakers in the county this season, scoring 24 goals and adding 12 assists. Gremlins coach Tracy Dailey said the junior’s field vision made the rest of the offense dangerous. KC won its fourth straight District 9 championship and 26th in 30 years.
Bella Gianfrancesco, jr., M, Seneca Valley
Gianfrancesco didn’t have the gaudy numbers (five goals, nine assists), but she was named all-section in the WPIAL and First Team Big 56.
Julia Lishia, sr., D, Mars
Lishia was a force on the PIAA Class 3A semifinalists, contributing to a defensive unit that pitched 18 shutouts. But she was also an impressive offensive producer, netting 12 goals to go along with 12 assists. Lishia is committed to play at Richmond next year.
Karly Majeski, jr., M, Seneca Valley
The postseason honors are long for the junior. Majeski, who scored 10 goals and dished out six assists, was named Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association all-state, Big 56 Section 3 Player of the Year, All-WPIAL and all-section. She scored the game-winning goal in the WPIAL 4A quarterfinals.
Sydney Patterson, sr., D, Butler
Patterson was named All-WPIAL and First Team Big 56, as well as all-section for a Tornado team that made the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. Patterson will play at Edinboro next season.
Cassidy Stopchick, sr., D, Seneca Valley
Coach Mark Perry considered Stopchick the leader of a defense that allowed just 15 goals in 21 games, propelling the Raiders to a 15-4-2 record a WPIAL silver medal and berth in the state playoffs. She was named First Team Big 56 and all-section.
Katelyn VanDyke, fr., F, Karns City
VanDyke’s production portends a future player of the year candidate after she produced a whopping 23 goals and 12 assists in her first year of varsity soccer. She proved herself unafraid of the big stage, scoring a game-winning goal in overtime of the PIAA Class 1A first round and the only goal in the 74th minute of the District 9 championship.
Cecelia Wolford, jr., F, Butler
Wolford was one of the most productive forwards in the WPIAL this season, scoring 18 goals while distributing five assists. The effort earned her all-section and First Team Big 56 honors. The Tornado made the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A tournament.
Camryn Woods, so., F, Freeport
Woods, who trained with the U.S. Olympic Development Team this summer and plays for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds academy, scored 16 goals this season to go along with serving as a veteran presence on a young team. Once again an All-WPIAL pick.
Meredith Ashbaugh, sr., D, Mars; Phoebe Brandon, so., F, Karns City; Ally DeGlau, sr., D, North Catholic; Morgan Duker, sr., F, Mars; Grace Hensch, sr., G, Knoch; Cassie Leonard, jr., M, Seneca Valley; Lucia Leyland, so., M, Butler; Ashlee Libby, jr., F, Seneca Valley; Maddie Marcotte, jr., M, Seneca Valley; Lauren Mealie, sr., M/D, North Catholic; Addie Orehowsky, jr., D, Mars; Kathleen Virostek, sr., M, North Catholic.
