The Springdale High School girls' soccer team is quickly proving that last season is going to be the rule, not the exception, for the Class AA program.

The Dynamos took the WPIAL by storm last year after having missed the playoffs for the previous five seasons and combining for only 16 wins the previous three. They won 22 games, captured the Section 3-AA title with a 12-0 record and reached the WPIAL title game and PIAA semifinals.

Having graduated only two players from that team, Springdale was 7-0-1 and won 16 consecutive section matches before last night's game against Shady Side Academy. The Dynamos were 4-0 in section play.

The seniors who graduated were goalkeeper Kim Bentley and defender Leah Weimerskirch. Nine starters return, plus a talented group of freshmen and a sophomore who missed last season with a knee injury, Caitlyn Koontz.

"We were the underdog last year and came out of nowhere," said coach Jerry Concannon, now in his second year at the schoolwith the team. "Now, that's just not the case. We have to deal with that as a team and people are aware that we are on the radar. Dealing with that has been one of the challenges that we have to face the rest of the season."

Springdale started the season with wins against East Allegheny and Elizabeth Forward in the Elizabeth Forward tournament and then opened section play with a 3-2 victory against Deer Lakes. The Dynamos have gone up against larger-enrollment schools early on in non-section play, including Pine-Richland, whom they played to a scoreless tie, and Butler, whom they defeated, 2-1.

Junior forward Brittany Loveland has been one of the top scoring threats around the area again after scoring 32 goals and assisting on 13 others last year. Through Monday, she had 19 goals.

In place of Bentley, junior Sabrina Adams has moved into net, but Concannon hopes to return her to the field as he grooms freshman Erica Roney. Adams was an all-section defender last year and Concannon hopes to return her to that position before season's end.

"They are playing solid, aggressive and with good composure," Concannon said. "Their emotional state is good. We have had a little adversity already this year but we have been able to shake that off.

"We had to fight some battles last year, too, and it's nice to see that they still have the ability to do that."

Another top player for Springdale has been Alexis Sarsfield. She has been assisting on most of Loveland's goals. If other teams are confusing Springdale for a track team with all the speed it has on the pitch, it is with good reason. Nearly half the starters qualified for the PIAA track championships last spring on the 1,600-meter relay team. They finished third in the PIAA title meet at Shippensburg University.

Sarsfield, who won an individual PIAA title in the 400 meters, was on the relay team along with soccer teammates Loveland, Lauren Gajdosik, Stephanie King and Brianna Loveland, Brittany's younger sister who was the alternate on the relay team.

Sophomores Allie Overly and Julie Bentley are also having good seasons for Springdale. Up top, Brittany Loveland often plays alongside Cayley Perrett, who leads the team in assists.

If it were not for South Park last year, Springdale might be the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion this year. The Dynamos lost to South Park twice, both games decided by 2-1 scores in the WPIAL title game and the PIAA semifinals.

"South Park is a great team with a great coach," Concannon said. "They are very well organized on the field and it's a fun game to play. We enjoyed playing them both times last year and we would look forward to playing them again."