Colin Devlin has a mantra for the Maryvale Prep girls soccer team: Next man up.
He wasn’t worried about injuries. Devlin knew the entire depth of his roster could play, whether they were a freshman or a senior.
So after his team raised the IAAM B Conference championship trophy early Saturday evening, two of the biggest stars Devlin picked out were sophomore Avery Weetenkamp and freshman Laney Clements.
Weetenkamp scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Bryn Mawr at Calvert Hall. Clements was part of a back line that kept the Mawrtians off the scoreboard.
“Our job was to have the next player ready,” Devlin said. “We utilized our whole roster all season.”
Within the first three minutes of the game, the Lions won a corner. Weetenkamp stood over the ball, knowing the wind was in their favor.
The ball sailed toward the goal, hitting the top net for an early strike for Maryvale (9-7-2 overall).
“I honestly didn’t think it was going in,” Weetenkamp said. “We had the wind in favor for us. So it was super lucky for us.”
Devlin had the Lions work on set pieces all season, and it paid off on the biggest stage Saturday.
“We put so much work in,” Weetenkamp said. “I was glad all our work in practice could pay off in a game like this.”
There was still nearly 78 minutes until the final horn. In came players like Clements, who had to deal with strong Bryn Mawr forwards like Reese Woodworth and Cam Kaufman.
The Lions were able to stop the Mawrtian attack. If the ball got past them, keeper Abby Marquette was there to save shots and secure loose balls in dangerous areas.
“We stay compact in the 18, and let you have the width,” Devlin said. “We’re going to give you that space. But we’re going to cut you off. We’re not giving you a lane inside.”
“Being able to put those tackles in makes you feel really accomplished and strong,” Clements said. “Pushing forward after that is a lot easier.”
Despite being on the back foot for most of the first half, Bryn Mawr was able to find footing as the game went on. Quickly after Weetenkamp’s goal, Woodworth had a shot hit off the crossbar, only to be cleared away.
The Mawrtians (10-4-1) found more possession in the second half though. The threats became more clear, as Byrn Mawr held onto the ball, and made passes into the attacking zone.
“The second half we had chances to tie it,” Bryn Mawr coach Tom Durkin said. “The girls worked their butts off. They left everything on the field and as a coach I can’t ask anything more than that.”
“It’s sports,” Durkin added. “Only one team is happy at the end of the year.”
It’s the first title for Maryvale since winning the B crown in 2019.
The fourth-seeded Lions did it by beating top-seed Severn and No. 2 seed Bryn Mawr.
Both times, all it took was one goal.
“That goal was like two days ago,” Devlin said about Saturday. “Feels like forever since we got that one goal.”
IAAM B CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
at Calvert Hall
MARYVALE PREP 1, BRYN MAWR 0
Maryvale 1 0 - 1
Bryn Mawr 0 0 - 0
GOALS: Maryvale Prep - Avery Wettenkamp.
SAVES: Maryvale Prep - Abby Marquette 4. Bryn Mawr- Kaitlyn Whitman 6.
