Kelly helped spark Raiders
JACKSON TWP — She's physically gifted and can take over a game if needed, but she's also a selfless player willing to do anything for the team.
It's easy to see why Seneca Valley girls soccer coach Dave Sylvester will hate to see Kate Kelly graduate next spring.
"She doesn't want any notoriety," said Sylvester. "She's a very modest kid, but is very dedicated to the game and is easy to coach."
Kelly, a senior forward who will play at the University of Pittsburgh next year, tallied 11 goals and 18 assists this season for the Raiders, who won their second WPIAL Class AAA title in three years and ended the season with an overall record of 22-1-1.
For her efforts, Kelly received all-state honors and was named the Butler Eagle Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
"The thing I'm going to remember most about this year is that we lost so many seniors from last year's team," said Kelly. "Not many people thought we'd be that great, but we proved them wrong.
"It doesn't matter how many seniors you have, as long as the players are willing to work hard and help the team," she added. "We didn't care about who scored the goals this year. We just wanted to win. We were so team-oriented this season."
Kelly ends her high school career with the most assists in school history (39) and the second-most goals scored with 45.
Jill Colbert, a 1995 graduate, holds the goals standard with 54 and now is second in assists at 37.
Kelly, a Cranberry Township resident, began playing club soccer at age 12 and came to Seneca Valley's varsity squad as a freshman in 2006.
"I think it was four or five games into the season," said Sylvester of the 2006 campaign. "I had noticed Kate on the junior varsity team and she had really good speed, but was a real quiet girl.
"So, during a varsity game, I looked down the bench and said, 'Kate, c'mon.' She really didn't look like she wanted to go in the game."
"I was timid," Kelly admitted. "Even as a sophomore, I thought, 'Why am I out here, I'm so young.'
"But my confidence grew on the field and that really helps," she added. "That's what I would tell any young player — just have confidence in yourself."
During Kelly's four years, the Raiders went a combined 68-11-6, including 43-5-4 in section play.
SV also went 10-4 in postseason play during that span while qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs every season and the PIAA tournament in 2007 and 2009.
"At the end of every (high school) season, I was already looking forward to the next one," said Kelly. "It was nice to have that to fall back on, but now that's over and it's sad.
"But I'll always remember the relationships I've formed with my coaches and teammates."
