MTHS Student Has Soccer In Her Blood
Manheim Township High School (MTHS) junior Liza Suydam is a member of the only Central Pennsylvania youth soccer team to win a US Youth Soccer National Championship. Liza shares that honor with other young women from Dauphin County and York County, as well as Lancaster County. The team, known as the PENN FC 04 Lightning, competed in the U17 division, first winning the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association State Cup in March and then traveling to Hammonton, N.J., for the East Regional Tournament from June 25 through July 1, where they placed first and advanced to the championship.
Next, the team traveled to Florida, engaging in three days of round-robin play from July 20 to 22. The Lightning emerged victorious and rested on July 23 to be ready for tournament play the next two days. By July 25, it was down to the Lightning versus a Utah team that the Lightning had bested previously. Liza, who plays center attacking midfielder, said that the team developed a new strategy against its competitor. "We knew we had to defend them differently," she said. "We controlled much better." The game ended 2-0, with Liza providing both assists.
Liza's talents run in the family. Her father, Clayton, who also coaches the team along with Bill Becher and Jason Pelletier, played soccer in high school in Mifflin County and then at Eastern Mennonite University, and her older sister, Aubrey, plays at Saint Francis University. Clayton noted that Liza has been playing since a young age and that he has always been involved in coaching. By age 8, she was playing with Penn Legacy in Hempfield, but by 14, she had moved to play with the Lightning. Clayton said that he had been impressed by the team environment created by Becher when Becher coached Aubrey. "It was a great fit for her to transition there," said Clayton.
Becher was impressed with Liza's tournament play, describing her tireless movement on the field and lauding both her offensive and defensive moves. "She scores goals. She sets up goals. She is relentless at winning the ball back for us," he has said.
The MTHS girls' soccer team won the Lancaster-Lebanon League tournament in 2020 during Liza's sophomore year. Clayton noted that she was an All-Star and was named to the Big 11, which are selected from all over the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
"I hope to play Division I soccer in college, but I haven't made any decisions," said Liza, who noted she will probably major in business.
Liza credits some of the team's winning ability to its dedication to practice, noting that during COVID-19 restrictions, the girls completed drills during Zoom calls. Liza also visited local soccer fields with her sister, shooting and completing drills that involve running. She said the Lightning was practicing at Lower Dauphin Middle School by November 2020, and when it was too cold, at an indoor facility.
But Clayton sees something more in the team culture. "This team really does love playing together," he said. "These girls work so hard for each other, and I think that's a big reason why we've seen this success."
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