Carnevale’s move to forward has helped spark the Millionaires this season
Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport scores a goal against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Maddi Schur and Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport celebrate a goal by Schur against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Maddi Schur and Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport celebrate a goal by Schur against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport scores a goal against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Maddi Schur and Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport celebrate a goal by Schur against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Maddi Schur and Brynli Carnevale of Williamsport celebrate a goal by Schur against Hazelton at the Balls Mills soccer fields. Williamsport won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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About halfway through the season, Williamsport coach Beckham Sibiski thought his team could use a spark up top. So, he moved freshman Brnyli Carnevale to forward to help the offense.
That move has been paying huge dividends.
Thursday evening at Balls Mills in the District 2-4 Class AAAA quarterfinals against Hazleton marked her tenth game up to. She also has a lot of offensive production in those ten games.
On Thursday, Carnevale put in two goals, included a great move for a header in the second half, to give her nine goals through ten games with two assists.
"Just staying confident and just doing what I do," Carnevale said as to what's been key for her up top.
What she does is seemingly just score goals.
"We moved her to forward halfway through the season. She played up to this point nine games at forward, had seven goals and two assists in those nine games and now another two in this game," Sibiski said. "It's been awesome for our team. It's really given us a spark in middle of the season. We decided to experiment a little and the experiment paid off I'd say."
That it has.
Carnevale scored Williamsport's first goal on Thursday against Hazleton 15 minutes into the game when she was in the perfect spot to tap in a ball in front of an open goal for a 1-0 lead. And in the second half, Carnevale was in perfect position again when a ball bounced to her and she headed it in for a 3-1 lead.
That score held up as Williamsport won to advance to the District 2-4 Class AAAA semifinals on Tuesday at a time to be determined.
"Obviously Brynli's a threat to running behind as well as our wingers," Sibisiki said. "It was all part of the game plan to threaten them in behind and I thought they did it really well."
Carnevale was a tough player for the Cougars to completely neutralize defensively.
With 26:45 to play in the second half, Carnevale got the ball down the right side of the field and got inside of the 18 and fired towards the middle of the goal. It was a well-placed shot, but Hazleton keeper Emma Zanolini was able to block it.
Carnevale may not have had a ton of chances throughout the game with breakways or throughballs, she converted for two goals and gave the Millionaires a needed spark throughout the game.
That move putting Carnevale to forward has been one that Sibiski has not regretted at all.