Wyoming Area’s only league and playoff losses in an historic 2018 field season for the school came against a state champion, the other Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A state finalist and a state semifinalist in a higher classification.
The Lady Warriors set out to continue that success with eight returning starters, half of whom earned all-state recognition.
The 2018 season produced Wyoming Area’s first state playoff appearance, which the Lady Warriors followed up with their first state playoff victory.
Wyoming Area earned its state berth with a 3-0 district semifinal win over Lake-Lehman. It was not finished until overtime of the state Class A quarterfinals when it fell to Newport, the eventual state runner-up.
The Lady Warriors lost only to state Class 2A semifinalist Wyoming Valley West during a 10-1-2 Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 season in which they finished behind only Wyoming Seminary.
After playing Wyoming Seminary to a scoreless tie in the regular season, the Lady Warriors fell 3-2 in the district final in the only one-goal playoff game the Blue Knights had to overcome in their state championship run.
Forward Kayla Kiwak and goalie Ellie Glatz are returning first-team Class A all-state selections by the Pennsylvania Field Hockey Coaches Association.
Kari Melberger, a second-team all-star choice last season, and Lauren Parente, the team scoring leader who received honorable mention, are also back.
Coach Erin McGinley said she expects her entire team to show better fitness this season. There are other benefits to work that has been done outside the high school season.
“A lot of these kids play off-season, so their knowledge of the game has grown by leaps and bounds,” she said.
Kiwak, a junior, centers the forward line that includes senior left wing Parente and sophomore right wing Toni Minichello.
Melberger, a senior, is the attacking center midfielder. Sophomore Makenzie Switzer is the defensive center mid.
Freshmen Jocelyn Williams and Bianca Pizano take over as the new outside midfielders.
The Beppler sisters, sophomore Megan in the middle and senior Morgan on the right side, return on defense. They will be joined by either sophomore Brianna Braccini or freshman Morgan Janeski.
Glatz returns for her senior season in goal.
Freshman Alexis Moore provides depth at forward.
After playing Tunkhannock in a Labor Day morning non-league game, Wyoming Area opens the WVC schedule Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre Area.
“I think the big question on everybody’s mind is what the Wolfpack team is going to look like because you just combined three high school teams into one,” McGinley said of the league opener against the team that combines players from Coughlin, Meyers and GAR.
