Both the Juniata and East Juniata girls soccer teams have something to brag about following the 2012 season.
The Tigers made it to the PIAA Class A tournament and were good enough for the District 4 runner-up spot. Juniata, who won the District 6 crown last season, fell to Forest Hills in a rematch.
But players from both teams were awarded, individually, for their accomplishments this season.
East Juniata coach Lori Goodling was named the Tri-Valley League Coach of the Year this season. On the first team were Kayla Hoke and Michelle Mease.
Juniata put four girls on the first team. Lauren Baublitz, Janelle Swartz, Megan Shoop and Joelle Winey were honored.
Goodling, who led the the Tigers to a 16-5-1 mark this season, knows it was her squad that earned her the honor of Coach of the Year.
"It's always an honor to receive it," she said. "I always go back to the team. We had a team this season that bonded and worked hard all season. You have to give credit to them."
Leading the way on the field for the Tigers was Hoke. The senior led East Juniata, and the TVL, with 20 goals and five assists. Her 45 points were tops in the TVL.
"Being a senior, she stepped up just like several of the others," Goodling said. "She took on a good leadership role. She works hard and likes to score goals."
Also on the first team for East Juniata was Mease. She played most of the season as a defender and limited opponents to very few shots in the TVL. Goodling said she could have been MVP of the league.
"I can't say enough about Michelle," Goodling said. "She works relentlessly all game. Her heading ability and her desire for the ball."
Juniata's four players voted to the first team made some noise this season. The Indians once again made a run in District 6.
Baublitz was hurt late in the year, and that could have thwarted Juniata's chances a little bit. But she stayed the course and was the mainstay in the Indians' offensive zone.
As Juniata's only senior, Baublitz had 12 goals and a pair of assists in TVL play. She was a 4-year starter.
"She was our target player up front," Juniata coach Brian Strawser said. "We looked to her to get things started for us and she worked hard all season."
Controlling the midfield for the Indians all season was sophomore midfielder Swartz. In nearly every game, she was one of the fastest players on the field. And although her stats were near the top of the board in the TVL, Swartz was a pest both offensively and defensively.
Swartz was third in the league with nine assists.
"We moved her to midfield early on and she was someone that will fit any where she plays," Strawser said. "She was a big part of getting the ball to our attacking third."
Juniata got some serious play out of Joelle Winey for the second straight season. Leading the the league in saves, Winey helped the Indians' bend but don't break style of defense.
The junior had 83 saves and only allowed seven goals in 2012. Her save percentage of 92.2 topped the TVL.
"There were so many games where she came up so big for us," Strawser said. "We had to replace some people defensively so we had to rely on her. She certainly came up to meet the task."
Shoop was named to the first team as a back. She and Winey were the only returning starters for Juniata defensively.
"She changed positions a little bit this year," Strawser said. "She had to be a leader and work with the younger players and keep their confidence up and did a great job for us."
In second team standings, East Juniata's McKayla Goodling took second team striker. One of the highlights of Goodling's season was when she scored the game-winning goal against Millville on Oct. 30 to clinch a berth in the PIAA tournament for East Juniata. She was second in the league in points (41) and goals (16) both behind Hoke. She was also second in assists with nine.
"She was quick and fast for us on the outside and created so many good opportunities with crosses," Lori Goodling said. "She had the desire to want to put the ball in there."
Also earning second team honors for East Juniata were Ashlyn Erhard, Lauren Maguire, Autumn Dressler, Brooke Kitting and keeper Zetta Zettlemoyer.
The two backers were Dressler and Kitting. It was Kitting's first year as a defender.
"Autumn (Dressler) is another Michelle. She's one of the hardest working players on the team," Goodling said. This was Brooke (Kitting's) first year back there. Her speed was fantastic all year."
Erhard, another senior for the Tigers, stepped into a dual role for the Tigers this season.
"She was also a very good leader," Goodling said. "She stepped up and we didn't take her off the field much.
"Lauren is just another really great leader."
Although Zettlemoyer didn't see a whole lot of action in the net, Goodling said she made some key saves for the Tigers.
"She was very improved," Goodling said. "She never played goal and embraced it. In some games she made some really big saves."
Juniata had two players named to the second team. Carly Burns as a midfielder and Rylee Duck as a back.
"She played a defensive midfielder for us," Strawser said of Burns. "She was someone we could rely on. She's very confident in her play and gave 100 percent."
For Duck, it was her first time playing in the back. But she didn't disappoint.
"She never played back there before," Strawser said. "We put her back there in the summer and I developed complete confidence in here. She is a very smart player."
