C-M’s Sodini named soccer MVP
Around the age of 10, Nick Sodini made a decision that impacted his life. He stopped playing baseball. The sport, he said, “was too slow for me.” So, Sodini focused on his other specialty. He concentrated on soccer. “I just loved the competition within the games. The speed and the hunger,” he added.
The choice suited Sodini and the move paid off in a big way for his team. Canon-McMillan became a champion and Sodini became a star on the national, regional and local level. He guided the Big Macs to bookend WPIAL titles. They won a championship as his scholastic career commenced in 2012 and as it concluded in 2015. As the Big Macs compiled a 19-4 record this fall, complete with a Section 5-AAA banner, Sodini racked up 32 goals and dished up 10 assists. He finished with 62 goals and 22 assists for his career.
“This year in particular, Nick worked on his finishing in and around the goal and it paid off,” said C-M head coach Larry Fingers.”
Goals garnered the Big Macs triumphs but they also earned Sodini praise from opposing coaches. “Despite every opposing team’s game plan to stop him,” said Peters Township head coach Bobby Dyer, “Nick still managed to score all of C-M’s big goals. Nick was the player of the year.”
On that, everybody agreed. Sodini gained recognition across the country. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America dubbed him national as well as regional All-America. He merited all-section, all-WPIAL and all-state acclaim, too. Plus, he headlines The Almanac’s Elite Eleven list as MVP.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said the 18-year-old son of Brian and Bonnie Sodini. “It’s a good feeling to be named MVP. There are a lot of good players out there, including ones that play on my team, so to be recognized as MVP is a great honor. I’m very happy.”
Fingers and the Big Macs were delighted to have Sodini play on their squads. His presence guaranteed success for the club. Sodini started all four years at Canon-McMillan. He captained the club this fall and his leadership proved invaluable. “Nick’s leadership, confidence, and closeness with his teammates were key components in our success,” Fingers said.
“Additionally his athleticism, creativity and technical ability were second to none in the WPIAL. Nick has a knack for beating players in unconventional and unpredictable ways that makes him very hard for opponents to deal with.”
Slippery Rock foes will have to deal with Sodini next. He committed to the university earlier this year. “It’s a great school and campus. Plus, the soccer team is very good there,” he said of his decision.
Being the type of player that he is, Sodini believes he will fit right in at the school that won its second PSAC title in three years and is on par with many of the NCAA Division II teams.
“I’m very fast and I know when to make my runs and where my teammates are on the field. Those are my strengths but I’d like to be more technical with the ball.
“I’m a go-with-the-flow type of guy,” he added. “I just try to adapt to my situation and hope for the best.”