Sharks Aiming For 3rd Straight Title

A team of best friends is unstoppable.

That is what the Sacred Heart Academy varsity soccer team is banking on. So far, everything is going according to plans.

Taylor DiMarco was named the MVP as the Sharks blanked Tonawanda, 7-0, in the championship game of the Dan Durick Tournament that was held at Clinton H. Small Stadium, Aug.27.

DiMarco, who scored six goals on SHA’s 8-2 win over City Honors the day before, said what makes this team so special is that girls truly all care about each other as people. As friends.

“That’s really important because I feel the spirit of our team helps us to want to win for each other,” DiMarco said.

“We want to play for each other on the field, not just for ourselves. We’re just a sportsmanship minded team. We won the (league) Sportsmanship Award last year. We’re just a good group of girls.”

Sharks coach Dr.John Dobos said that it’s not just about soccer or their talent level. It’s about how much the girls mean to each other. How the kindness, character and support that is displayed by the soccer team is an extension of the family atmosphere that runs throughout Sacred Heart Academy.

“It’s still a small school. We only have a little over 400 girls in the school,” he said. “So obviously everyone gets to know each other very well, as opposed to some of the larger schools where they only know each other through sports. These ladies are great. They are legitimately concerned for each other. When we have an injury or somebody is not having a good game they really have each others back.”

A senior heavy team, the Sharks not only have a quality goalie in Alex Miller, who picked up the shutout against Tonawanda. They also have the plus of a strong defensive core with seniors Claire Zwack, Krista Tomizzi and Claire Coughlin. “The fact that we gave up two goals (to City Honors) means that we still have work to do,” Dobos said.

“With the skill level that we have on defense and we have two goalies….I start with defense. You have got to shut down the other team. Our offense is good enough that we know we can get a couple goals every game. If we can keep the other teams at two goals, or less, every game I feel confident we got the win.”

Losing some key players off of last season’s championship roster, DiMarco said getting some live game action was a plus for everyone. “I think it’s good for our confidence, because we lost a few really strong players (from) last year,” she said.

“Now we’re feeling pretty confident going into the rest of our games.”

Emily Yarbrough, Alisa Schaefer, Tatyjana Scalisi, Marissa Kruk, Sarah Krieger, Kiley Austin, Alyssa Piazza, Julia Bartles, Abby Choboy, Gia Dilimone, Shayne Fermoile, Briana LoTempio, Isabel Murphy, Hannah Mikulec and Aoife Scannell complete the Sharks lineup.