By Tom Schmitt

For the Mirror

After a competitive and exciting scholastic soccer regular season, and just before interdistrict playoffs, area teams in the local soccer community were stunned and heartbroken by the untimely death of 17-year-old Lundyn Treese of the Altoona Lady Lions in an automobile accident.

The frailty and brevity of life suddenly seemed all too real, and the importance of winning a soccer game was suddenly put into a new perspective. The terrible shock of their teammate’s passing made it difficult for the Lady Lions to move on with play.

“Lundyn was a bright light that left us way too soon,” Altoona coach Marc Frye said. “She was a great teammate and friend. She will be dearly missed.”

The Altoona girls, with heavy hearts, decided to play on with their postseason, and while grieving for Lundyn — who her teammates say made everyone around her happy and was a ray of sunshine — they dedicated their play on the field to her. They wore armbands with her No. 1 and “Live for Lundy” T-shirts under their jerseys.

“These girls are solid for sure, and they are playing with so much emotion,” Frye said.

After dominating rival State College in the District 6 4A championship, 7-0, Altoona won a state play-in game over McDowell. Then, in their first game without Treese, in a 4A subregional playoff game, blanked Taylor Allderdice, 5-0. Before the Allderdice game, the Treese family was presented flowers from the Altoona coaching staff.

Frye, in his second year, continues to take the Lady Lions deeper into the state playoffs each year. The Lady Lions then ran into a buzz-saw in the next round in state powerhouse Seneca Valley, dropping a 6-1 decision.

Elsewhere scholastically

n The Bishop Guilfoyle Lady Marauders took their second District 6 1A title over West Branch, 3-0, with a high-powered offense peppering shots at the West Branch goalie all game long.

Coach Joe DeLeo said it was a hard week with the passing of Treese, and the girls talked about it in preparation for the West Branch game. A number of girls on the Bishop Guilfoyle squad play for Team Energy, a two-time PAWest state champion.

The Marauders had another big win in overtime over Seneca, 5-4, in the state playoffs, before bowing out to Springdale in the state quarterfinals, 2-1.

n The Hollidaysburg Lady Tigers reversed the results from last year’s title game with Bellefonte by taking the District 6 3A championship, 1-0, over the Red Raiders. The Tigers bowed out to a very strong Fox Chapel squad, 5-1.

n The biggest scholastic surprise came with the Altoona boys’ 2-1 double-overtime loss to State College in the District 6 4A title game. The Mountains Lions had handled State College easily, 3-1, earlier in the season, and had one of their most successful seasons in years, dropping only two games in a 16-win regular season in which Coach Dave McCarter won his 100th game.

Heading indoors

Already, indoor soccer leagues are underway at the Summit under league director Mike Alianiello. There are 86 teams in total playing in the first session, which runs from Nov. 9-Dec. 22.

The second session starts the last weekend in January. The age groups include u-8, u-9, u-10 boys, u-11 boys, u-11 girls, u-13 boys, u-16 girls, u-19 boys and u-19 girls.

There are 16 men’s open teams, and in the over-30 bracket, individuals sign up and Alianiello puts the teams together for the league.

The u-11-and-under teams play on the turf courts, while other teams are playing over on the Summit tennis courts.

Alianiello announced there would be only one tournament held this year. It will be the 7 vs. 7 school tourney with the junior and senior high girls playing on Jan. 11 and 12. The junior and senior high boys will be playing Jan. 18 and 19.

Alianiello took over indoor soccer operations from his father, Tony, 18 years ago. His father put indoor soccer leagues together initially. Allianiello, like his father, attends every game . He also takes complete organizational responsibility for the tournaments. He is looking to hang it up after this season, which would leave a big gap in area indoor soccer.

Good job

n Congratulations to Altoona Area High girls senior Alli Little, who signed a letter of intent for an NCAA Division 1 scholarship with Iona University. Little was the Lady Lion goal leader with 23 and suffered through some difficult injuries in her freshman and junior years. An honor student, she had played classic soccer with Beadling, America’s oldest soccer club and one of the top clubs in our state.

n One Penn State Altoona men’s soccer student-athlete and four women’s soccer student-athletes were named to the College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District teams. Named to the team were Bailey Musselman for the men and Adeline Baustert, Hannah Brubaker, Amanda Hazel and Mallorie Smith for the women.

n Heads up to referee Jen McConnell, who was one of only two PIAA female referees chosen to referee a state championship game this season. McConnell had been a standout scholastic and collegiate player.

Tom Schmitt writes a monthly soccer column for the Mirror.