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GIRLS SOCCER: Female Athlete of the Week, Sydney Benedick a catalyst for James Buchanan offense


James Buchanan's girls soccer team had a busy scoring week last week.

In four games, in which the Rockets went 3-1, they scored 20 total goals, and junior forward Sydney Benedick was in the middle of nearly half of them.

Of JB's goals, Benedick had five of them to go along with three assists, putting her total at seven goals and six assists in nine games this season. She is the Public Opinion Female Athlete of the Week.

Benedick opened up the week in style, notching three goals and an assist in a 7-0 win over Littlestown. She then had an assist in a 3-1 loss to Waynesboro and capped off the week with two goals and an assist in a 7-4 win over Biglerville on Saturday.

"Sydney makes the offense go," James Buchanan coach Terry Appleby said. "She has had her share of goals and assists this year, but if you look at our team, we have about nine girls that have been involved in our scoring. That's a big credit to her leading the attack."

Benedick has embraced that role this season, and even though goals are nice, she takes more pride in her ability to help her teammates.

"My biggest goal out there is to make my teammates better," she said. "I think our whole team values an assist just as much or more than a goal."

"Sydney is a very good team player, and she is also a very smart player," Appleby said. "I'm not quite sure she's fallen into that belief yet, but it's something that can be a big advantage for her if she keeps working at it."

Benedick believes this is the best James Buchanan team she has been a part of in her three years with the team, and she's hoping the Rockets are able to take a big step forward this year.

"I want us to get that one big upset," she said. "I think if we can beat a team like Greencastle, Boiling Springs or Waynesboro, it could really give us a lot of confidence and propel us to that next level."

James Buchanan will have plenty of tries to accomplish that goal this season, and if Benedick can continue to play the way she has early this season, the Rockets might be able to achieve it.

SYDNEY BENEDICK, JAMES BUCHANAN ROCKETS

Sport: Soccer

Position: Forward

Grade: Junior

Parents: Jan and Rodney Benedick

Other interests: She also runs on the track & field team for the Rockets and participates in school activities, including Relay for Life.

Favorite team: Barcelona

Pro athlete most admired: Lionel Messi

Three people she'd like to have dinner with: Messi, Adam Sandler and Alex Morgan

Statistics: Benedick had a big week for the Rockets last week ... In four games, in which JB went 3-1, she finished with five goals and two assists ... She has seven goals and six assists already this season.