Yough girls intend to continue winning ways

By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com
In each of the past two seasons, the Yough girls soccer team has enjoyed lengthy playoff runs.
The Cougars advanced to the WPIAL Class 2A championship game for the first time in program history in 2019 and fell one game short of another berth last season, falling in the semifinals at the hands of Avonworth.
This season, veteran head coach Dann Appolonia thinks the Cougars could once again be a force to be reckoned with.
“We had the discussion the first day of practice about the expectations. Every year, our first goal is to make sure we get into the playoffs, the second goal is to win the section and third goal is to the win the WPIAL,” Appolonia said. “I told them this year shouldn’t be any different.”
Though three key seniors must be replaced, Yough does have a lot of returning players back from a team that went 11-5 overall and 6-4 in section play last season. The Cougars earned wins over Elizabeth Forward and South Park in the WPIAL playoffs before falling to Avonworth, 3-0, in the semifinals.
“We had our ups and downs last year, but I enjoy the challenge,” Appolonia said. “I’m excited to see what happens this year.”
Among the players the Cougars must replace is Natalie Vilchek, a forward who helped produce a plethora of goals over the last few seasons.
“She was that prototypical power forward who could hold the ball and create things off of it,” Appolonia said. “We don’t really have that anymore, so we have to figure out ways to overcome it. Replacing that type of player is by far going to be our biggest challenge this year.”

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