Aaron Panczyk was a highly successful boys' soccer coach, winning WPIAL and PIAA titles. Now he gets to coach a top girls' team.

Panczyk is in his first season as the Mt. Lebanon girls' coach. This is the first time he has coached a girls' team, but he won two WPIAL and two PIAA titles as the Seton-LaSalle boys' coach.

"I'm surrounded by a lot of talent, just like at Seton-LaSalle," Panczyk said of Mt. Lebanon.

Mt. Lebanon is the Post-Gazette's preseason Class AAA No. 1 team. Panczyk inherits a squad with nine returning starters from a team that went to the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals a year ago.

"One of our strengths is our leadership," said Panczyk, a 1995 Mt. Lebanon graduate. "We have eight seniors who are great leaders. They demand a lot of themselves and their teammates."

One of the seniors is forward Audrey Cillo, who had 15 goals last season. A few other top seniors are defender Abby Einwag, forward Caroline Pryor and defender Allison Klinefelter.

Junior goalkeeper Emma Pellicano had 10 shutouts last season.

Here is a look at some other top teams in the WPIAL and City League this:

No. 2-ranked Peters Township has seven returning starters, including senior midfielder Shelli Spamer, who had 21 goals last season. Senior defender Shannon O'Connor was part of a team that had 12 shutouts last season.

Other top returnees are junior defender Brooke Smith, senior midfielder Dani Hume, senior forward Hannah Caso and senior goalkeeper Brittany Hoffman.

"This team has the capability to repeat what last year's team did," said Peters Township coach Pat Vereb, who guided the Indians to a WPIAL runner-up finish a year ago. "We have to stay healthy and the players have to prove they can take it up to the next level."

No. 3 Seneca Valley won WPIAL championships two of the past three seasons and seems primed for another title run. Eight starters return, including sophomore goalkeeper Keara Lydon, who had nine shutouts last year. Senior forward Mandy Kasperski, junior forward Madison Kozlowski and junior defender Reagan Dobbins are a few other top players.

South Park, ranked first, has turned into a perennial power in WPIAL soccer. Senior forward Cassie Raymond scored 24 goals a year ago, and teammate Lauren Yobbi is one of the WPIAL's top midfielders.

The other four returning starters are sophomore goalkeeper Siera Davis, junior midfielder Christy Chiesa, junior defender Kayla Briggs and sophomore forward Kylie Snodgrass.

"Our offense is strong," said South Park coach Shelly Thropp, whose team was the WPIAL runner-up a year ago. "We'll probably be playing more 4-3 games this year instead of 1-0 games."

Mars was 15-4-1 in Class AAA last season, so the Planets most certainly are one of the top teams in Class AA this year. Senior Dana Wonderly is one of the top midfielders in the class. Among the other top players for Mars are junior forward Kristen Check and senior goalkeeper Meghan Kelly.

Third-ranked South Fayette features sophomore forward Liana Leja, who scored 23 goals as a freshman. One of the Lions' other top players is another sophomore -- forward Sierra Molinda. Sarah Pruss returns at goalkeeper.

"We have two top-notch forwards. We're going to score some goals," said South Fayette coach Wayne Capra. "This could be one of the best teams we've had here."

This is the first year for this class in WPIAL and PIAA girls' soccer.

Springdale is ranked No. 1 after winning the Class AA title last year and finishing second in the PIAA. The Dynamos lost 12 seniors, but top returnees include senior midfielder Julie Bentley, senior midfielder Ally Overly, senior defender Breanne Loveland, senior defender Kayla Harmon and sophomore defender Marissa Sarsfield.

No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic will be led by senior midfielder Chelsea Miller, who had 19 goals last season, and junior goalkeeper Makenzie Shearson, who had 12 shutouts. The Centurions might start as many as four freshmen, including Frannie Crouse, who was a member of the U.S. national 15-and-under team.

No. 3 Shady Side Academy has midfielder Makenna Krebs (12 goals) and senior goalkeeper Aubrey Jaicks (13 shutouts last year).

No. 1-ranked Schenley is the defending City League champion and features junior midfielder Lezza Marie Tokarski (22 goals).

The other returning starters are senior defender-midfielder Tess Drudy, senior midfielder-defender Natalie Sorce, sophomore midfielder-defender Renee Eddy-Harvey, senior defender Sami Gregory and senior forward Jonquil Schaller.

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