2025 Butler County girls soccer storylines: Does Karns City’s District 9 dynasty continue? Seneca Valley, Mars retool across formations
While several sports may seem to have a legitimate argument as the one Butler County’s been most successful in lately, it’s actually not that close. When you tally up the hardware collected by winning section, district and state championships, girls soccer by far stands above the rest.
This year promises to offer a number of intriguing storylines from the county’s eight varsity teams as players hope to shine individually to spur more team success.
Here’s a look at a few of them:
Dynasty is a word used far too loosely in sports, but it best describes Karns City girls soccer’s incredible run of 26 District 9 titles in 30 years.
A down year for the Gremlins comes when they lose in the district championship game, and that’s happened just once (2020) in head coach Tracy Dailey’s 11 seasons leading the team.
The Gremlins will have to play at least a good portion of this season without two stars from last year’s 17-5 team. Forward Katelyn VanDyke and defender Trinity McFarland are both recovering from injury. As a freshman last season, VanDyke tallied 23 goals and 12 assists.
“They both could be back during the season, but we’re not going to push them,” Dailey said.
The good news for KC is a very strong senior class returns. The group includes last year’s Upper Allegheny Valley Soccer League MVP in midfielder Hanna Dailey, versatile Layla Colsey and defender Ava Kamenski.
Junior forward Phoebe Brandon, who adds playmaker traits to her scoring ability, is also back with all-league honors in her pocket.
“We have no freshmen this year, which is rare, but we have a group of about eight or nine seniors,” Dailey said. “And we have a number of girls who can play multiple positions.”
KC must replace a three-year starting goalkeeper in Savanna Prescott, but Dailey is high on the ability of sophomore Giada Bonetto.
Seneca Valley’s unconventional formation will include new defenders.
“All five girls who started in the back for us in our two state playoff games last year graduated,” Raiders coach Mark Perry said. “We play a formation, some teams see it as a 5-4-1, others say it’s a 3-6-1. We have a wingback on either side, and when we’re on offense, they move up, but then sit back and play defense.
“It fits what we are trying to do and makes our opponents prepare for something they don’t see much.”
Perry said senior Maddie Connellan and juniors Addison Cravotta and Dani DeFanti are strong candidates to start in the back.
If Mars makes the WPIAL playoffs for the 19th consecutive season, a lot of crucial plays will be made by players moving into expanded roles.
“This is the second straight season that we've lost seven starters to graduation,” Planets coach Blair Gerlach said. “Rebounding from one year of that is one thing, from two is really tough.”
Two players who should add stability to the lineup are senior defenders Addie Orehowski and Maeve O'Leary, both starters in 2024.
“I don't know how much our younger players are thinking about team goals,” Gerlach said. “When you're a freshman, you're just hoping to play. But for the girls who have been on varsity for a while, it’s: ‘Let's get to the playoffs and make some noise.’”
