The Rams, though, went on to win the league title and the District 1 Class AAA championship.
"The girls are really buying into our program," Rodriguez said.
Stevi Parker, Pennridge standout and The Inquirer's player of the year, agrees.
"He's grown as we've grown," said Parker, a senior bound for the University of South Carolina.
"We missed him at the [state-title] game, but we understood."
Team of the year. Team honors went to Pennridge, too. The Rams had never reached the state finals before. With 20 players on the squad due back next year, they could be knocking on the state-championship door again.
Season of tragedy. The 2011 soccer season was marred by tragedy when Owen J. Roberts junior Kelsey Kramer was injured in an automobile accident on Sept. 21 and died two days later.
The stunned Wildcats decided to dedicate the season to their former teammate.
With loads of support from the school and the community, the Wildcats pulled themselves together.
After Kramer's death, they went on an 11-game winning streak. That streak ended when they lost to Boyertown, which went on to win the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship.
Although they would lose two more times to the Bears - including once in the conference final - the Wildcats finished the season with an 18-8 record.
Owen J. Roberts reached the PIAA Class AAA state semifinals before losing to Pennridge, 2-1, in overtime.
Contact staff writer Don Beideman at 267-815-0733 or dbeideman@phillynews.com.
