By BRIAN TORTELLA  

Correspondent 

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From the moment Ella Simko stepped onto the practice field two years ago, West Deptford girls soccer coach Jenny DiLorenzo knew she had herself a special player.

In more ways than one.

Not only has the Eagles’ junior lit up the scoreboard during that span, she also has been an instant energy boost for the team since Day One.

“She brings enthusiasm, excitement, and a sense of fun to practice and games,” DiLorenzo said. “She’s a great kid to be around. She brings a sense of joy and fun to the game.”

DiLorenzo also had a front-row seat to Simko’s development throughout her youth, as her younger daughter is club teammates with Simko’s younger sister. And it wasn’t hard to see that she stood out among the rest of her peers.

Through fewer than three full seasons, Simko has 49 career goals, including a team-high 22 last year that helped propel the Eagles to a stunning South Jersey Group 2 title run. During the sectional playoffs, Simko scored six goals, including one in the Eagles’ 2-0 victory over Haddon Heights in the final. It was the first sectional crown for West Deptford since 2013.

“She’s someone we can definitely count on,” DiLorenzo said. “The girls look to get the ball to her. It’s fun to watch her play, and I’m super proud of the impact she makes on the field and the way she’s able to finish.”

A lifelong West Deptford resident, Simko celebrated a 6-0 victory over Triton on Senior Night last Thursday. The Eagles will graduate a whopping 17 seniors, leaving just four juniors on next year’s roster, including Simko.

“I’ve always been with this group of girls for as long as I can remember, so I’m just grateful that I get to spend it with them and to celebrate the moments we have together,” Simko said. “Ever since I was little, I’ve always been on the summer rec teams (with most of the West Deptford team).”

After graduating six impactful seniors from a championship club, West Deptford hasn’t exactly gotten off to its desired start this fall with a 5-10-1 record through 16 games, but Simko is still lighting up the scoreboard. Regarded by many as the top player in the Colonial Conference, she has scored in 12 games this season, leading the Eagles with 14 goals and 14 assists. 

“Ella Simko is one of the best players in the conference,” Haddon Township coach Mike McGovern said. “We always have to gameplan for her when playing West Deptford. You have to account for her for all 80 minutes. If you make any mistakes, she will capitalize on them.”

Simko and the rest of the Eagles will look to capitalize as they enter the home stretch. West Deptford is currently the No. 9 seed in the South Jersey Group 2 power-point standings with three games left prior to the cutoff for seeding on Saturday night.

“Although we’ve had a rough start to our season, we can’t dwell on it,” Simko said. “For the playoffs, we have to go in with a positive mindset no matter what. We have to go out fierce and play how we always play.”

WHAT’S NEXT: West Deptford hosts Middle Township on Wednesday at 5 p.m., the closes out the regular season with road games at Sterling on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at Gateway at 9 a.m.