Chad Kranson, who served seven years as assistant coach and also has experience coaching youth, junior high and travel soccer, takes over as the new head coach of the Wyoming Area girls soccer team.
Kranson replaces Nikki Sitkowski, who he assisted through six seasons as the Lady Warriors rose to prominence in the sport, including a trip to the state quarterfinals in 2018.
“Both Wyoming Area soccer programs seem to be going in the right direction,” Kranson said.
Kranson has several veteran players to work with while trying to continue that trend.
The Lady Warriors were 8-4 for third place in Division 2 of the Wyoming Valley Conference last season when they qualified for the District 2 Class 2A playoffs before finishing 10-9 overall.
The team’s six seniors should figure prominently into plans.
Christina Kosco, a midfielder/forward, started since her freshman season, but was slowed at times by hip issues in the past two seasons.
Three-year starter Olivia Kwiatkowski leads the defense.
Sydney Kruszka is battling for the goalkeeper position she split last season, but can also help the team at forward or midfield if she is not in goal.
Nicole Donvito is a midfielder.
Brooke Evelock is a forward/midfielder who has worked her way back from suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee at the end of her sophomore season and again as a junior.
Emma Kelleher, one of the school’s top lacrosse players, has joined the soccer team for the first time and is expected to give the defense a boost.
Sophomore Olivia Allen is the other player who split time at goalie last season. Like Kruszka, she can play in the field, if not in goal.
Junior Kylee Foy is also competing for time at goalie.
Three other sophomores – midfielder/forwards Halle Kranson and Anna Wisnewski and defender Sofia Sabatini – already have experience as starters.
Coach Kranson is confident that he will be able to get contributions from his three freshman, led by Hannah Fairchild, who could crack the lineup at midfield or forward.
“The challenge right now for me is trying to strike a balance between our offense and defense,” Kranson said. “If we can do that – we have a lot of individual battles going on right now, which is great – I think we’re going to be competitive.”
