Seniors Long, Magee form talented duo at Lycoming women’s soccer
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Selinsgrove graduate Ella Magee and Lewisburg graduate Mikayla Long both know what it takes to succeed and excel on the soccer pitch. At their respective high schools, they helped their programs do just that each year.
With the Seals, Magee won a District 4 Class AAA title in 2020 and reached the District 4 championship game three times and was playoff-bound all four years. For Long, she helped the Green Dragons make the playoffs all four years and twice reached the District 4 Class AA finals and state tournament.
District 4 girls soccer is one of the toughest districts in Pennsylvania, and coming to Lycoming, the two helped build the Warriors into an extremely tough program.
The two led Lycoming's offense last year, and there's no doubt they'll be called upon once again this year.
"I would say just camaraderie (is the biggest key to that success). I think we all get along and we all play together well," Magee said. "We have great chemistry on and off the field; we work together as a team. Obviously coach (Kenny) Fern has been really good. He's helped us a lot. I think the style that we play is different from a lot of other teams. I think that's definitely contributed (to it)."
And it has resulted in the team doing well, reaching the Landmark Conference semifinals last year, coming just shy of playing for the title.
"When I came in as a freshman, historically we hadn't been very good. We pretty much always had a losing record until the last couple of years where we kind of made a bunch of records," Magee said. "Last year I think we only had two losses and one was in the conference semifinals. So, just to repeat that and have a great record this coming year would be great."
Long agrees.
"It meant a lot, especially since the team used to be not as well put together. We weren't obviously very good and we all started to getting together more, working for it and it's really shown over the past couple of seasons," Long said. "Every season we've gotten better and better, we've gotten better recruits in, better coaching."
The former Green Dragon standout credits the team's key to success lately being part of the team having the same mentality and mindset and striving for the same goal.
"I think one of the biggest keys is all of us being in it mentally," Long said. "We're all here to win and that's one of the reasons that Kenny recruits all of us. He says 'I want us to win,' so we don't come here just to play around. We come here to work for it and earn what we want."
Long says that motivating others on the field to be their best is her biggest strength.
"I think my biggest strength on the field is pushing everybody; pushing myself first of all," Long said. "When I push myself it makes me wanna push everyone else so we can all be the best we can be."
Magee credits her strength as her vision when on the field. It's why she led Lycoming last year with 16 goals and 13 assists.
"I would say I try to work on my passing and my shooting are two of my biggest strengths I'd say," Magee noted. "Last year, I had the most goals and assists, so I wanna repeat that. Overall just contribute to the team. Whatever's helping the team, if I have to be assister or goal scorer, I'll do whatever it is."
Doing what they do best is what's made Long and Magee an outstanding 1-2 duo for the Warriors, and one Fern, and fans, are glad to see on the pitch.