As coach of the U-16 Girls Northern Steel ICE soccer team, coach Blair Gerlach knew good things were around the corner.

His team had finished the regular season unbeaten and it was preparing for the Penn West Cup in Erie in mid-June.

When the season was all said and done, Northern Steel placed second in the USCup National Championship Tournament July 21 to 25 in Greensboro, N.C.

"Going into it, I was just excited to be there," said Amanda Sharbaugh, a center-midfielder who plays varsity soccer at Knoch. "Whether we won or lost, I was proud we got to nationals."

Sharbaugh's teammates include Seneca Valley's Logan Gamelier, Jenny Jergel, Dana Cerminara and Becca Pecora, Butler's Becca Crissman, Mars' Marci Dillner and Sarah Heckman, Freeport's Maurielle Blake, Kiski Area's Cassy Curran, Tina Hendrick and Jesselyn Terrill, Neshannock's Caitlyn Bleggi and Hopewell's Alyssa Cosnek.

Competing in the Penn West Cup proved to be child's play for the squad, winning its four games by a combined 18-0 score, including a 2-0 decision against the IBC (International Football Club) Blast.

"We knew one team would give us a challenge and we had tied them in the regular season," said Gerlach.

So now it was on to regionals, which were held in Fort Dix, N.J.

Northern Steel won 3-1, 3-0, tied 0-0 and won 3-1 in the championship final to qualify for the national championship tournament.

"We didn't know what to expect," said Gerlach. "We had been to regionals before and done well, usually a win, a loss and a tie, and usually finished around .500.

"We were never in the New Jersey area before, but we knew we had talent. We only had 14 on our roster, but if you have one injury, you're going to struggle," Gerlach added.

It was after that first win that the team believed they could take the region.

"When we won the first game, the girls thought, 'Hey, we can do this,'" said Gerlach. "The girls have a lot of confidence, but not cocky. They don't mind rolling up their sleeves and going to work.

"Somehow, we got the bounces we needed. We found a way to score the winning goal that might be a video highlight and ones that were lucky," he added.

Northern Steel scored with 10 minutes remaining to win their first national game 1-0 against Florida.

"That first win meant a lot to us," said Sharbaugh. "It was great to get that under our belts."

The team then lost to a New Mexico squad 1-0 on a goal with 15 seconds remaining.

"That was our first loss in a long time," said Gerlach. "We don't let up a lot of goals, then to give up one and lose was tough."

The team bounced back on Day 3 against a Utah team, one of the favorites to win, according to Gerlach, who also coaches the Mars boys varsity team.

"We played one of the best games we've ever played," said Gerlach on the 4-1 victory.

"It was a display. I didn't need to do much. It was awesome. They grew up in that game. They came off that loss and were ready."

The team met New Mexico again, this time in the championship final, but lost 2-1.

"It was a good game," said Gerlach. "It was the first time we didn't get the bounces we needed, but kudos to them for beating us twice. Games like that make you better.

"The girls know they can compete at this level. They will get to show their faces one more time (next year as U-17)."