By Kim J. Harmon

 

Considering her eight individual conference titles and her share in three conference relay titles and her one CIAC Class LL individual title in just three short years, the tendency may be to remember Alex Konneker only as a track and field star at Newtown High School.

But soccer is her game – has been right from the beginning – and her future waits at Division I Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York.

When she first arrived at Newtown High School her skill on the pitch was already known after years of youth soccer, but the jaws started dropping when she began to display her sheer speed up and down the field.

Wow, imagine what she could do in lacrosse.

Wow, imagine what she could do on the track.

“There was pressure to run track,” Alex admitted, “but I knew if I started I wouldn’t be able to stop. I also knew my dad wouldn’t let me graduate if I didn’t do track and I’m glad I did it. Coach Russell is one of the best coaches I have every played for.”

In her first year on the track in 2004 – under head coach Marsha Turek – Alex began creating her legend when she won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes and had a share of the 4x100 relay title at the South-West Conference championships.

“You know, I didn’t see myself succeeding because I didn’t think I would put that much effort into it,” said Alex.

But she was great. After winning four SWC titles as a sophomore, she won the same four titles as a junior (adding a CIAC Class LL 400-meter title) and finished with three more SWC titles as a senior (100, 200, 4x100). And even though it was basically understood that if her premier soccer schedule conflicted with track, she would have to defer to soccer she dedicated herself to track.

“I had a lot of conflicts this year,” she said, “but I didn’t want to let the team down.”

Now, her accomplishments on the track are certainly impressive – almost gaudy – but Alex became a key member of the Newtown High School soccer program from the minute she stepped onto the field. A program that has been one of the most dominant in the history of Connecticut high school soccer – never experiencing a losing season and winning fewer than 10 games only twice – became even more prolific in the last four years, amassing a 62-15-5 record (.847 winning percentage).

In that time, Alex scored 37 goals and assisted on 35 others and scored the most important goal of her career in November of 2004 while leading the Lady Nighthawks to a win over Trumbull in the CIAC Class LL state championship game.

Despite that, her path didn’t really cross those of coach Driscoll and coach Plourde until spring and summer premier when Alex plays for the U18 South Central Rush and the U23 CUFC Power (this year the Rush has already claimed a state championship and will be heading to the regionals while the Power is heading to the regionals on July 15 and 16).

It certainly helped that Newtown High School head coach Rupert de los Reyes also coaches the Rush and also knows coaches Driscoll and Plourde.

“Rupert got involved in the process,” said Alex, “and really helped me decide where to go.”

Her choices basically boiled down to Division I Manhattan College or Division III University of Mary-Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, but one of the key factors for her was the school’s proximity to home.

That, and level of play.

The real big thing that played in my mind was watching Mary-Washington play,” said Alex. “It really reminded me of my high school games, but a Manhattan game reminded me of premier and premier has been so much fun.”

Now, the Lady Jaspers have not enjoyed a winning season in quite some time, posting an 8-9-1 record in 2001 and steadily declining until bottoming out at 2-15-1 in 2004. But last year the program came under the guidance of head coach Sean Driscoll and assistant coach Todd Plourde and the two began reversing the fortunes of the team as the Lady Jaspers finished 6-12-2 overall, 1-7-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

Still, it is Division I and one has to wonder if Alex feels she is ready for that level of soccer.

“No – I still don’t know if I’m ready,” she admitted. “But when I first came to high school I didn’t even think I would make varsity. Even during tryouts in sophomore year, after getting a lot of playing time as a freshman, I went in thinking, ‘I hope I make it.’ I guess I should have been more confident.”

Confident? She has performed well for the U23 CUFC Power, which traveled to East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, on Sunday to battle the New England Mutiny of the Women’s Professional Soccer League (although losing 3-0 as former NSCAA High School All-American Jenny Maurer scored a pair of goals).

“(Playing with CUFC) has been a lot of fun,” she said. “Half the girls are playing in college and the skill they have is amazing. I look at them and say, ‘Oh god,’ but that’s why I like it and know I’m going to be facing these kinds of players all year long.”

To help her further prepare for her experience at Manhattan (she has to report in mid-August), Alex has a 15-page nutrition and training guide. There are fitness tests she is supposed to take and she has to time her miles, emailing all that information to the coaching staff. At the same time, each Manhattan player has been tasked to report on the World Cup (Alex has to watch England) while recording highlights, goal scorers, formations and strategies and emailing all of that information to the coaching staff.

Will she be ready? Oh, sure. And she will also be ready for Friday, October 13, when Manhattan takes on Fairfield University (the new home of former NHS star Casey Frobey) in Fairfield.

“I already have that game marked down,” Alex joked. “Bring it on, Casey.”