Quaker Valley athlete of the week: Will Andrews

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, October 11, 2018 | 7:03 AM

Will Andrews

School: Quaker Valley

Sport: Soccer

Class: Senior

Claim to fame: Will Andrews leads the defending state boys soccer champions at Quaker Valley with 55 shots and 13 goals this season.

The team, which has qualified for the playoffs for 36 consecutive years, has outscored opponents 84-9 and has an 11-3 record. With playoffs less than two weeks away, Andrews dished about Quaker Valley’s expectations.

You are one goal away from 14, which would be a career high. Does that matter to you?

It doesn’t matter at all. I mean it’s nice. I’m confident I’ll get to 14, but I doubt I’ll be our top scorer by the end of the year. I’m a center mid, so it’s not always my job to score goals. And me scoring doesn’t matter as much as my team winning games.

Can you describe your best goal this season?

Probably against North Catholic. That was the biggest goal I scored this year. Franky Fernandez played a really good through ball to me, and I chipped it up and around a defender and volleyed it really hard from the top of the box to put us up 2-0.

Who sets you up with the best passes?

That’s a really hard question. There are probably four different guys: Fritz Reiter, Dom Reiter, Franky Fernandez and Tom David.

How have you stepped up as a team captain this season?

I’ve been a lot more vocal and more people have turned to me and the other captains (Nolan Carver and Dom Lagnese) to get through tough games and practices. Last year, the only pressure on me was to go out and play. Now it’s also about looking out for your teammates and setting an example for everyone.

What is it about Quaker Valley’s soccer program that makes it a contender every year?

I would say passion. The area we live in is really passionate about soccer, so a lot of kids play when they’re young, which is a recipe for building a lot of really good players and winning championships.

How does Quaker Valley have to improve before playoffs?

It’s a mental thing for us. We haven’t been in a lot of tough games this year. When we get into tight games, it will be about how we respond. Do we flip out and lose control of our emotions or do we stay composed?

What would mean to win WPIAL and PIAA titles in the same season?

That would be the highlight of my life. That would mean everything. We had a really good season last year, didn’t win WPIALs and won states. The year before that we won WPIALs but not states. To win both would be amazing, especially in my senior year.

If you had to face 10 of your own shots, how many do you think you’d save?

Zero. I’m a horrible goalie. Never put me in net.

Shawn Annarelli is a freelance writer.

Tags: Quaker Valley