Quaker Valley boys soccer captures 2nd state title in 3 years

By: Greg Macafee
Friday, November 15, 2019 | 4:04 PM

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HERSHEY — For the second time in three years, the Quaker Valley boys soccer team is heading home with the PIAA Class AA state championship trophy in hand.

But it might not make it to their trophy case at the high school.

“I hope I don’t have to let it go, I might have to sleep with it tonight,” senior forward Dom Reiter said.

After a scoreless first half against District I champion New Hope-Solebury, the Quakers exploded for two goals in the second half and held off the Lions late to capture their eighth state championship with a 2-1 victory at Hersheypark Stadium.

“This is amazing, but being at Quaker Valley, it’s the expectation,” Quaker Valley coach Andrew Marshall said. “It feels awesome, but the No. 1 thing is this team’s approach every day was ‘Let’s just get better today and whatever happens, happens.’”

Reiter put the Quakers ahead in the 63rd minute when his brother Fritz freed him up for an opportunity in front of the goal. The Pitt-bound striker fired a bullet from around the penalty spot and buried it into the back of the net for Quaker Valley’s go-ahead goal.

Almost six minutes later, Dom returned the favor. He sent Fritz into the box, and the Gettysburg commit squeaked a shot past New Hope goalie Kyle Campbell into the left side of the net with 11 minutes remaining.

“That’s a dream come true right there,” Dom said. “In our last game together, we are both going are separate ways, and to be able to assist him and for him to assist me, that’s exactly how you want it to end for sure.”

Throughout the first half, the Quakers looked out of their element. They were slow on the ball and played almost too relaxed. The Lions didn’t find the back of the net, but they were controlling the pace of play, and it almost paid off.

After dominating the middle of the field, junior midfielder Davis Nagg missed a shot midway through the half that drew a deep exhale from the Quaker Valley faithful in attendance.

The Quakers knew something needed to change.

“We felt like we just weren’t playing our game,” Marshall said. “We didn’t change anything tactically, but I think we came out with the mentality that assistant coach Sean Ryan said it best ‘composure and quality. If we start having that something will happen.’ And that’s exactly what happened.”

The Quaker Valley seniors have been to Hershey three times in their high school careers. In 2016, they captured the WPIAL title, but fell in the state final 1-0 to Lewisburg.

In 2017, it was opposite. The Quakers lost in a double-overtime thriller to Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL championship, but rebounded to make a run for state title No. 7.

This season, the seniors on the team set a goal to capture both trophies in the same year.

Mission accomplished.

“To win WPIAL, then state, that was our goal going into the year,” Dom Reiter said. “So, to accomplish that, it was a sense of relief almost. Being able to win both in the same year, we’ve wanted that for a long time.”

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Quaker Valley