Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy boys look to build off strong seasons

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, August 28, 2017 | 11:00 PM

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Quaker Valley's and Sewickley Academy's boys soccer teams continued their winning traditions last fall when both programs captured WPIAL titles and played for PIAA championships.

Now, the goal is to try to build toward similar runs this year.

The Quakers enter the season as one of the favorites to contend for the WPIAL Class AA title. While the team graduated eight seniors, the squad returns plenty of experience in its deep lineup.

“I think one of the strengths of our group is we try to build the whole group and not just focus on the 11 starters,” Quaker Valley coach Andrew Marshall said. “A lot of people contributed. Guys who were freshmen last year got a lot of minutes. The unselfish play of the group and everyone helping everyone grow as a unit plays a big part in our success.”

Seniors Ian Rodgers, Caleb Bender and Bando Grant are the squad's captains.

“They are generally at the front of the line and leading the group, but we rely on everyone stepping up and being a leader throughout the season. We stress that pretty strongly with the guys,” Marshall said. “Everyone is starting at the same point and is optimistic and has the right attitude and energy. Once we starting getting into games and facing some adversity, then we'll see how we handle that. We're looking forward to that test.”

Quaker Valley captured its eighth WPIAL title last season. The Quakers made their 11th state championship appearance, but fell to Lewisburg, 1-0.

“We always desire to add to the legacy of the program and uphold the traditions. It means a lot to these kids. They have a lot of pride in the program and they want to continue to grow it,” Marshall said. “They gained a lot of experience last year. We played about a month longer than most teams and were in big games and crucial situations. That experience is hard to recreate artificially. It's important to have that experience, but can we use it and grow off it?

“This group works hard and they are humble. I think they are very hungry and eager to prove themselves, but they also want to express themselves and be creative. It's a fun group to coach, and I think it'll be a fun group to watch.”

Sewickley Academy played in the state championship for the fifth year in a row last fall. However, the Panthers graduated a bulk of their starting lineup. Midfielders Alex Gordon and Nick Joseph and defender Jackson Coles are the only returning starters.

“There will be a lot of new faces in there this year,” Sewickley Academy coach James Boone said. “We had some really experienced players graduate.”

At forward, juniors Rees Blaylock and Hussen Haji and freshman Jack Wentz will see time. Niall Traviato, Thomas Yung, Joseph and Gordon are expected to add to the offensive attack from the midfield. Jack Duggan and Finn Carlson will be at the midfield or could drop back on defense. Max Reyes and Adam Brown join Coles on defense. Traviato could shift back also. Dimitri Gary is the goalkeeper.

“The younger guys practiced against the older guys last year, and they know what it takes. Sometimes, it's a little tougher to grasp as soon as you start playing against other players,” Boone said. “Hopefully, they are up for the challenge. We push them to get better and try to put them in the best positions to be successful.”

The Panthers captured the WPIAL Class A title last year and reached Hersey for the fifth year in a row. While they fell to Camp Hill, 4-1, and did not defend their state crown, they want to build for another strong run.

“We want to keep that ball rolling. There are a lot of expectations here and a lot of history,” Boone said. “They are starting to see that we can build our own dynasty. Now, it's our time to shine. Our first game is against Peters Township, and that'll be a great measuring stick for us.”

Joe Sager is a freelance writer.

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy