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FC Bucks girls soccer turns tragedy into triumph
from The Intelligencer
 The
season started off with tragedy for the FC Bucks Vipers girls soccer team as
their coach's son-in-law was murdered.
But it ended in triumph, as they became the first girls team from
Pennsylvania to win a US Youth Soccer national championship.
"It's really a storybook ending," said co-captain Taylor Houck, a Chalfont
resident.
The end came Sunday in Lancaster, Mass., when a goal by Abington's Maddie
Evans in the 52nd minute held up and FC Bucks defeated the Ohio Elite Soccer
Academy, 1-0, to win the Under-18 title.
Evans won the Golden Boot Award for leading scorer in the tournament, while
North Penn graduate Gabby Pakhtigian won the Golden Gloves honor as
goalkeeper with the lowest goals-against average.
"There were 10 minutes of extra time (when play continues even though
scoreboard clock runs out), and they were the longest 10 minutes of my
life," said Houck, who played scholastically at Germantown Academy.
Alysha Mallon, a recent graduate of Villa Joseph Marie, saw a special fire
in the players this season. Last year, they had made it to nationals but
were eliminated in pool play.
"We just had this bigger desire to win," she said. "This year, we were just
determined to win it. We haven't lost a game since (last year's) nationals.
When we won, I was like shaking. I've never been happier in my life. We did
it for our coach."
Other members of the team include Alexa Carugati of Newtown, Erin Galen of
Holland, Jen Hoy of Sellersville, Kaitlyn Kerr of Bensalem, Yvonne Moyer of
Levittown, Tara Murphy of Holland, Clare Roche of Washington Crossing, Julie
Bell of Holland and Stephanie Lawall of Newtown.
The game had special meaning for Vipers coach Ed Leigh. It was the fifth
time he had brought a team to the national tournament but he had never won
it - until now.
The first three times, he was coaching his daughter Kimmie Leigh's team. She
went on to play at St. Joseph's University and helped a bit with the Vipers
until she married John Pawlowski, a Philadelphia Police officer.
Advertisement On Feb. 13, Officer Pawlowski was gunned down in the line of
duty. Kimmie gave birth to his son, John III, in June.
The players wore a black armband and warm-up shirt with his badge number on
it as they dedicated the season to Pawlowski's memory.
"We went to Mr. Leigh's house the day after," said Houck. "He's been like a
second dad to us."
Right before the championship game, Houck sent a "Vipergram" to all the
players. It was a message from Kimmie to win the title.
"It was a really great experience," Ed Leigh said. "It was a bad year for
the family, but a good way to end things."
Leigh became the Vipers' coach under tragic circumstances. Drew Wirtz
coached the team for three years but then became ill and died. Leigh took
over when they were U-12.
"About 80 percent of the team is the same as when I took over," said Leigh.
"It was not an easy situation to come into, but give him credit - he laid a
solid base for me to work with."
While many top-flight club teams draw kids from vast areas and rarely
practice, the Vipers are different. Most of the players live a half-hour or
less from the team's Richboro headquarters and they do plenty of practicing.
"My way isn't for everybody," said Leigh. "We're serious. We practice two to
three times a week for 11 months a year. These girls just love to play."
The Vipers finished the season with a record of 65-0-5. Not only did they
win the U-18 title, they qualified for the U-23 championships - but could
not go, as it conflicted with the Youth Nationals.
However, the dates do not conflict next year, and the players want to try
for the U-23 and U-19 national championships next year.
"We're one big family, really more like sisters," said Mallon. "We don't
want to stop."
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