Butler's scoring machine

Sophomore Drohan sets record for goals in season

John EnriettoEagle Staff Writer

June 12, 2017 Other High School Sports  0 Comments



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Butler sophomore Eliza Drohan set the Golden Tornado girls lacrosse record for single-season goals scored with 52 this spring. Drohan, though, doesn't want to be considered just a scorer. She enjoys setting up her teammates for goals more than scoring them.

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BUTLER TWP — Eliza Drohan has become a goal-scoring machine — even if she doesn't want to be known as such.

The Butler sophomore scored a single-season program record 52 goals this season for the Golden Tornado girls lacrosse team. She scored 26 her freshman year.

“By those numbers, people might assume she's a ball hog,” Butler coach Ashley Argyros said. “That's the last thing this girl could be considered.

“She is such a selfless player, one of the nicest girls I've ever been around.”

Drohan said she prefers to help set up her teammates to score.

“I'm much more excited when that happens,” Drohan said. “I get two defenders on me a lot and teams mark me ... When I recognize that and get rid of the ball to an open teammate, it works out for us.”

The Tornado won only three games this spring, but the program moved up to Division I this season and played the likes of Seneca Valley, Pine-Richland and North Allegheny.

Drohan was named the team's Offensive MVP. She was a tri-captain as well with fellow sophomore Karolyn Miller and junior Emma Scuoteguazza.

A midfielder, Drohan “just knows how to get in the right spot and knows when to take her shot,” Argyros said of her goal-scoring ability.

Drohan and fellow midfielder Miller, who scored 40 goals this season, have a long history of lacrosse together. They were the only two girls among 100 fifth and sixth-grade Butler lacrosse players a few years ago.

At that time, Butler did not offer girls lacrosse until seventh grade.

“That first year gave Eliza such a substantial base for studying and learning how to compete at the game,” her mother, Samantha Drohan, said. “Karolyn and her have been teammates for years.”

Drohan agreed with her mother's assessment,.

“We got pushed around a little bit and got used to the physical part of lacrosse,” Drohan said. “It wasn't that rough because nobody was very big back then.

“The big thing for Kaerolyn and I was we got a two-year head start on the other girls. Her and I have always pushed each other to get better.”

Drohan isn't just about lacrosse. She carries a 4.2 grade point average, is involved in student council, mock trial and does morning announcements at school.

She plays summer club lacrosse for the Tru program in western Pennsylvania.

“She is a pleasure to coach,” Argyros said. “Such a well-rounded kid — it's great to see a sophomore be so successful. I'm excited to see what she's going to accomplish with us over the next two years.”

Drohan is a goalkeeper for the Tornado girls soccer team in the fall.

But lacrosse has become her sport of choice.

“I'm hoping the opportunity presents itself so I can play in college someday,” Drohan said. “I'm going to college to further my education, but if there's a way to keep playing lacrosse along with that, I'll do it.

“Every time I go on the field to play, I get so excited. When the flow of the game starts and I start running up and down the field ... I don't want it to stop. I love every minute of it.”

Lacrosse — and her team — loves her right back.

“Eliza is always aware of her teammates, where the players are on the field, how she can help set them up,” Mrs. Drohan said. “As long as somebody scores and she's helping the team, that's all she cares about.”

Argyros agreed.

“She was so honored to be a captain — and she deserves that honor,” the coach said.

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John Enrietto

John Enrietto

 @jenrietto24

I graduated with a Journalism degree from Ohio University in 1979. I started at the Eagle on August 24, 1997. My awards include 2nd place in feature writing from Ohio Associated Press (while working for the Steubenville Herald-Star), media award from Lernerville Speedway and 3rd place in a Pennsylvania AP contest for story feature.