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The McDowell girls soccer team will chase its 18th District 10 Class AAA championship Thursday at Dollinger Field. The Trojans, who have won five D-10 titles in a row, will play Strong Vincent at 6 p.m.

The Class AAA girls championship has to be played earlier than the rest of the D-10 playoffs because the winner will have to win two PIAA subregion matches to make it to the first round on Nov. 6.

The D-10 champion will host DuBois at a site and time to be determined on Oct. 30 in the first subregion match. The winner moves on to another subregion match Nov. 1 against the District 6 champion in D-6.

–Tom Reisenweber

Deja Dixon

The Strong Vincent girls soccer team is going through a tough season but junior offensive standout Deja Dixon has been a bright spot for the Colonels.

Dixon has nearly one third of Vincent’s scoring with five goals out of 17 for the Colonels.

Dixon’s biggest performance came in a 7-1 win over Conneaut (Ohio). She dominated the Spartan defense to score three goals and earn a hat trick.

Vincent is still rebuilding its program but the Colonels have a solid future with Dixon as a 
goal scorer.

Poll results:

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Halil Alicusic

The Strong Vincent boys soccer team has been rebuilding its program over the past two years and Halil Alicusic is a big part of the rebuilding effort.

The Northwest Collegiate Academy senior has 12 goals and two assists this season. Halicusic is a captain that plays any position on offense, at midfield or on defense that the Colonels need him to.

On Sept. 29, he scored four goals and dished out two assists in a win over West Middlesex to cap a three-game stretch that included nine goals and two assists.

Poll results:

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Strong Vincent Colonels
Boys
Coach (season, record): Steve Mooney (2nd season, 5-13-0)
2011 overall record: 5-13-0
2011 region record (place): 0-8-0 (fifth)
2011 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 Class AAA playoffs.
Top players lost: Anthony Anglikowski, Andrew Black, Bintu Mwamba, Dahn Gurung, Godfrey Lohitai, Kendrick Tate
Top returning players: Ahmed Abdille, Halil Alicusic, Diego Molina, Abdullahi Serat
Assistant coaches: Kamal Sharif, Ed Palattella
Outlook: Strong Vincent broke through to win its first match in three years in 2011. The Colonels were hit hard by graduation but they are hoping to keep building on their five wins from last season. Vincent will have to replace Anthony Anglikowski, Andrew Black, Bintu Mwamba, Dahn Gurung, Godfrey Lohitai and Kendrick Tate. Tate was voted to the all-region second team on offense, while Lohitai and Gurung were second-team picks on defense. The Colonels have a strong group back and will need several leaders to step forward to lead the younger players. Ahmed Abdille, Halil Alicusic, Diego Molina and Abdullahi Serat are back, while several freshmen and sophomores could be in the mix for playing time. Vincent dropped down to Class AA in the offseason and while that means no more region matches with Cathedral Prep and McDowell, it also means a schedule loaded with Erie County powerhouses. The Colonels will need to use the momentum they built up last season and carry it over this year to keep improving.

Schedule
September
5 Saegertown 4:30
11 at McDowell 7:30
15 at Central Tech 8 a.m.
15 at Hickory 12:30
17 East* 4:30
19 Harbor Creek* 5:30
22 at Cathedral Prep 3:30
25 at Girard* 5:30
27 Fort LeBoeuf* 5:30
29 West Middlesex 11 a.m.
October
1 at General McLane* 5:30
3 East* 4:30
9 at Harbor Creek* 6
12 Girard* 3
15 at Fort LeBoeuf* 4
17 General McLane* 6
20 at Meadville 11 a.m.
*Region 5 matches

Girls
Coach (season): Katie Giles (1st season)
2011 overall record: 7-9-2
2011 region record (place): 4-3-1 (second)
2011 playoff results: Lost to McDowell 7-0 in the District 10 Class AAA championship.
Top players lost: Rachel Burnett, Katie Carman, Devon Dudley, Stacy Rabat, Sarah Ritz
Top returning players: Rachael Dobosiewicz, Sandra Rabat, Deja Dixon, Taylore Fletcher, Courtney Sargent
Assistant coach: Mike Kasprzak
Outlook: Strong Vincent will look to rebuild the program after going through plenty of transition in the offseason. The Colonels have a new head coach in Katie Giles and graduated five starters in Rachel Burnett, Katie Carman, Devon Dudley, Stacy Rabat and Sarah Ritz. Burnett was voted to the all-region first team at goalkeeper, while Rabat was a second-team defender. The Colonels return sophomore starters Taylore Fletcher and Courtney Sargent this season along with all-region selections Sandra Rabat and Rachael Dobosiewicz. Rabat was a second-team pick on offense and Dobosiewicz a second-team selection on defense. Deja Dixon is also back for Vincent who will be young but somewhat experienced. Several seniors suffered injuries as juniors but if everyone is healthy, the Colonels could be a surprise team in Region 6.

Schedule
September
1 at Fort LeBoeuf 11 a.m.
4 at Warren 5
5 Mercyhurst Prep 5:30
8 at Hickory 12:30
10 East 4
12 at Bradford 5:30
15 at General McLane noon
20 at Corry 6
26 at Central Tech* 6:30
27 Harbor Creek 7:30
October
2 McDowell* 6:30
6 North East 9 a.m.
13 Villa Maria 3
16 Central Tech* 4:30
22 at McDowell* 7:30
25 at Iroquois 7
*Region 6 matches

Friday: Titusville

– Tom Reisenweber

Strong Vincent Colonels
Girls
Coach (season, record): Michael Romeo (5th season, 38-23-2)
2010 overall record: 7-9-2
2010 region record (place): 5-3-0 (tied for second)
2010 playoff results: Lost 4-3 in double overtime to Meadville in the District 10 Class AAA semifinals.
Top players lost: Brianna Opperman, Colleen Kresse, Halley Sonntag, Brisia Herrera, Emily Kessler
Top returning players: Rachel Burnett, Sarah Ritz, Stacy Rabat, Sandra Rabat
Assistant coaches: Frank Romeo, Gino Romeo
Outlook: Strong Vincent earned a District 10 playoff spot before losing a heartbreaker to Meadville in the semifinals in double overtime. The Colonels will need to reload the program quickly in order to return to the postseason. Vincent lost 11 seniors to graduation, including all-region selections Brisia Herrera, Colleenn Kresse, Halley Sonntag, Emily Kessler and goalkeeper Brianna Opperman. Coach Michael Romeo is stressing simplicity and uniformity throughout the program this fall and is working on getting every player’s fitness level on the same level as some of the area’s powerhouses. Vincent returns several talented players, including all-region selections Rachel Burnett and Sarah Ritz as well as Stacy and Sandra Rabat. Vincent’s focus early on will be building chemistry and developing the team and later in the season the Colonels hope to have the early work pay off.

Schedule
September
7 Hickory 6:30
8 at North East 4
10 at Fairview 10 a.m.
14 Meadville* 6:30
19 at Central Tech* 4:30
21 East* 6:30
24 at McDowell* 4:30
28 at Villa Maria 7
October
3 Warren 4:30
5 at Corry 4
11 at Meadville* 7
12 East* 4:30
13 Central Tech* 4:30
18 McDowell* 4:30
23 Mercyhurst Prep 1
26 North East 6:30

Note: information not submitted by the Strong Vincent boys coach.

Friday: Titusville

– Tom Reisenweber