Fox Chapel’s Milo Chiu tabbed A-K Valley Boys Soccer Player of the Year

By: Michael Love
Saturday, November 30, 2024 | 11:45 PM

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Boys Player of the Year: Milo Chiu, Fox Chapel, Sr., midfielder

Milo Chiu remembered an early 2-1 loss to Deer Lakes as a spark for the Fox Chapel boys soccer team.

“We didn’t expect to lose that game, and it showed us just how much we had to prepare for each game and how tough the season would be the whole way through,” the Foxes senior midfielder said.

Fox Chapel won five straight after that — four by shutout — and picked up some other big wins en route to the program’s first WPIAL championship since 1995 and a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

Chiu was the engine in the midfield, from winning contested balls to moving the play, generating offense, playing through balls and assisting teammates up top.

He racked up numerous assists this season, although, he said, his focus wasn’t on his stats. Rather, his focus was on doing what needed to be done to get the win.

And the team won 14 times while tying twice in 21 games.

His talents in making the Foxes go were rewarded with placement on the All-WPIAL team by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. He also was the Alle-Kiski Valley’s only Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association boys all-state selection.

Chiu now also can add Valley News Dispatch Boys Soccer Player of the Year to that list of accolades.

“With now being a captain, I knew that I had to step into that role of leading the team,” Chiu said. “It was something I worked on with the other captains to help keep the team together and composed and push through all the challenges we had and make it as far as we did.

“Any game I went into this year, I wanted to be the hardest worker on the field, and I felt I was. I went into every tackle knowing I was going to win the ball, and I knew I was going to complete my passes.”

Fox Chapel had lost in the WPIAL semifinals the past three years. Chiu, a part of all three losses, didn’t want himself or his teammates to feel that pain again. And to get past that point to the title game against Plum at Highmark Stadium, he said, was a special feeling.

Chiu, a member of the Riverhounds developmental program, knew what it was like to play on the Highmark Stadium turf, and it translated into a strong performance and a 1-0 victory over the Mustangs.

“There were definitely jitters at first,” Chiu said. “It was such a big deal to all of us. But we were able to hook up to the speakers in the locker room and play music.

“Once we got the music going, it helped prepare us and get us excited and ready to play the game. … We wanted to go out and prove that we had what it took to get the job done.”

The Foxes were able to refocus for their PIAA first-round game against Mechanicsburg, and Chiu recorded an assist off a corner kick as Fox Chapel scored a 3-0 victory.

A 2-1 loss to District 3 runner-up Warwick four days later ended the Foxes’ season.

“After the loss, we were all pretty sad, but after a few hours and leading into the next day, we were able to look back on how we performed all season, and with all we accomplished, I was pretty happy,” said Chiu, who transitioned quickly to the Foxes wrestling room and his goal of reaching the WPIAL tournament for the third time. “It showed just how talented our team was.”

Chiu said academics come first in determining where he will attend college with the hopes of majoring in computer science or engineering. He said if the opportunity presents itself, he would like to pursue athletics as a walk-on.

“We will see how it all plays out,” he said.

First team

Gage Adinolfi, Sr., F, Plum

Adinolfi always was a threat to score as evident by his team-best 11 goals. He also made sure to get others involved, recording eight assists as Plum advanced to the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Highmark Stadium and secured a berth in the PIAA playoffs. He was awarded with selection to the All-WPIAL and All-Section 3-4A teams.

Kellan Bleier, Sr., F, Fox Chapel

The attacking midfielder and striker, a grandson of Steelers Super Bowl winner Rocky Bleier, returned to soccer after playing football last year. The decision was a good one for the Foxes senior who played a big part in helping his team capture the program’s sixth WPIAL title and first since 1995. Bleier was selected All-WPIAL by the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association.

Garrett Chandler, Sr., D, Plum

The veteran Mustangs center back provided stability for a team that allowed just five goals in 10 section games, all wins. He was named to the All-WPIAL team for the second year in a row. Plum surrendered just 17 goals in 23 games overall. Chandler also scored twice and provided a team-best 10 assists.

Austin Friedline, Jr., F, Knoch

The Knights fell six points away from the fourth and final WPIAL playoff spot from Section 1-3A. But Friedline finished the season with 15 goals and seven assists. He was voted to the all-section team by the section coaches.

Billy Kowalkowski, Sr., M, Burrell

When the Bucs found success this season, Kowalkowski was usually at or near the center of the action. The All-WPIAL honoree and Section 1-2A all-star finished with 12 goals and 15 assists for a team that won 10 games and, as the No. 13 seed, pulled upsets in the first two rounds of the WPIAL playoffs to reach the semifinals.

Carson Krushansky, Sr., F, Fox Chapel

Krushansky came up big for the Foxes numerous times throughout the regular season and into their playoff run. The All-WPIAL selection tallied the lone goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over Plum in the WPIAL Class 4A title game. He also converted a penalty kick in the PIAA quarterfinal loss to Warwick.

Peyton Kushon, Jr., F, Deer Lakes

Kushon earned his second All-WPIAL selection and a VND first-team honor for the second year in a row as a main cog in a potent Lancers offense that scored 98 goals over 23 games en route to the Section 1-2A title, the WPIAL semifinals and the PIAA playoffs. Kushon tallied three goals in the postseason and finished the season with 15 goals and eight assists.

Chris O’Toole, Sr., F, Riverview

The Raiders veteran earned All-WPIAL honors for the second year in a row after scoring a team-best 16 goals and helping guide his team to the WPIAL Class A playoffs for the first time since 2019. He collected 35 goals over his final two seasons.

Angelo Porco, Sr., F, Freeport

Often the center of attention in the Yellowjackets’ offense, Porco finished as one of the top goal scorers in the A-K Valley with 23 goals to go along with eight assists. The All-WPIAL selection and Section 1-2A all-star receives a VND first-team nod this year after being named to the second team in 2023.

Collin Rodgers, Jr., F, Deer Lakes

Rodgers again was at the top of the goal-scoring list for a Lancers team that captured the Section 1-2A championship and advanced to the WPIAL semifinals. He tallied 13 goals and assisted on 16 others. He was voted to the all-section team.

Patrick Wylly, Sr., M, Springdale

Many times during the Dynamos’ 2024 season, a scoring play would begin or end with Wylly in possession of the ball. The veteran Section 4-A all-star scored 12 goals as Springdale finished as the section runner-up to Winchester Thurston and earned the No. 6 seed for the WPIAL playoffs. He also provided nine assists for a Dynamos squad that beat Sewickley Academy and lost to OLSH in the WPIAL tournament.

Second team

Wesley Boyle, Jr., GK, Deer Lakes

Nathan Dubas, Sr., F, Springdale

Fedgy Fertil, Sr., M, Plum

Quin Fischer, Sr., GK, Riverview

Austin Kolankowski, Jr., M, Plum

Drew Hunter, Sr., M/F, Riverview

Ryan Maloney, Jr., M, Highlands

Brady Matthews, Jr., GK, Fox Chapel

Brennan Mattie, Jr., M, Springdale

Zane Spence, Jr., D, Deer Lakes

Aidan Stein, Sr., F, Fox Chapel

Honorable mention

Austin Beck, Jr., M/D, Kiski Area; Cuyler Crim, Jr., F, Deer Lakes; Vincent Guerrini, So., M, Burrell; Jacob Orseno, Jr., M, Deer Lakes; Ryan Sutara, Jr., M, Freeport; Luca Shiano DiCola, Sr., M/F, St. Joseph; Noah Skaugen, Sr., GK, Springdale; Noah Smith, Sr., D, Plum

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, St. Joseph