EVAN AND RYAN BROWNE
SCHOOL: Thomas Jefferson.

WHO ARE THEY?: Brothers and midfielders who are among the top goal scorers in WPIAL boys' soccer. Evan also is a wide receiver and kicker for the football team.

THE PAST WEEK: Evan scored three goals and Ryan one last Thursday in a 5-0 victory at West Allegheny. Both had a hat trick Saturday in a 9-1 rout of Montour.

Ryan, a 6-foot, 160-pound junior, has 12 goals; Evan (6-0, 170) has 10.

A senior, Evan also sparkled in the football team's 54-9 victory against Canon-McMillan Monday. He had five receptions for 134 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown, and two field goals. He is the Jaguars' leading receiver (nine catches, 302 yards) and scorer (four touchdowns, 16 extra points, two field goals, 46 points).

CAREER: The Brownes have played soccer since they were very young and have been with the varsity since they were freshmen. Evan did not play football until last year, when he was Thomas Jefferson's kicker. Ryan plans to play for the first time next season.

A RARITY: A number of high school soccer players also play football. Most are kickers; few start at wide receiver. Evan Browne is averaging 33.6 yards per catch, even though he was strictly a kicker as a junior.

"He started hanging out after practice last season, playing catch," said football coach Bill Cherpak. "His interest was piqued. We started talking in the offseason about him playing a little at receiver. We went to some passing camps this summer, and he did well."

SUCCESS IS RELATIVE: Jon, a sophomore soccer player at Carnegie Mellon, is the oldest of three Browne brothers. He also competed in both sports at Thomas Jefferson, and gained recognition two years ago when he helped the soccer team win the PIAA Class AA title in Hershey on a Friday afternoon, then flew back to kick and punt in a WPIAL football playoff game that night.

Jon's football mentor was a cousin, Nick Browne of Dallas, who was Texas Christian University's kicker several years ago.

FUTURE: Evan, also a shortstop on the baseball team, is being recruited by the soccer teams at Duquesne, Dayton and Lafayette. Ryan plans to "definitely play soccer in college."

-- By Rick Shrum

JONNA HANDRA
SCHOOL: South Allegheny.

WHO IS SHE? Only a freshman, Handra is one of the leading goal scorers in WPIAL girls' soccer.

THE PAST WEEK: Handra had three goals in a 5-0 victory against Avonworth Monday, and six goals in a 7-3 victory against Serra last Wednesday.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Entering this week, Handra was tied for second in the WPIAL in goals. She has 18 in six games.

"She's amazing and really fun to watch play," said South Allegheny coach Mandi Oresick. "Just her style of play and the way she weaves in and out of people is fun to watch. And the way she plays with the rest of the team is nice, too."

AMONG THE BOYS: Last year, Handra played for the South Allegheny middle school boys team. She was the Gladiators' leading scorer.

"Playing against the boys helped me," Handra said. "Just because boys are more physical and have better foot skills than girls. It made me better."

WITH 'SIS: Handra started in a soccer program when she was 3 and her teammate was her 4-year-old sister, Jenna. The older sister is now a South Allegheny teammate. Both Handras are forwards.

FOR THE RECORD: The way Handra has started her career, it wouldn't be outlandish to think about someday breaking the WPIAL goal-scoring record.

"I've thought about that, but I don't know what the record is," Oresick said.

Steel Valley's Jess Strom, who now plays basketball at Penn State, set the record with 205 goals. That's a little more than 50 goals a year. When told of the record, Oresick said, "At the rate [Handra] is going, I'd say the record is certainly possible."

NATIONAL ATTENTION: Handra plays for PA West in the Olympic Develop Program. She made the under-14 age group regional team, which is made up of players from 16 states. She will go to Florida over Thanksgiving to try and make the national team.

-- By Mike White