Peters Township prepared to defend soccer titles
Seniors may graduate at Peters Township High School but tradition doesn’t, particularly regarding the men’s soccer program. Since 1987, the Indians have captured nine WPIAL titles. They have appeared in six state championship contests, claiming PIAA first-place trophies in four of those finals.
According to Bobby Dyer, who has played or coached in eight of those gold-medal games, the history of the program is one drawing card as the players wait to leave their mark. So, despite the loss of eight starters from last year’s WPIAL and PIAA championship clubs, the goals remain the same. Winning is the objective.
“We want to make the playoffs and adjust from there,” said Dyer, who earned WPIAL and Pennsylvania Coach of the Year honors after last year’s 22-2 season.
Just getting out of the Section 5-AAA is always the immediate aim as history has shown that to be a challenge. Last year, the lone losses for the Indians came at the hands of rival Upper St. Clair. Peters finished runner-up to the Panthers with an 8-2 slate.
Of the Panthers, Dyer predicted, they will be the toughest section opponents along with Canon-McMillan, Moon and Chartiers Valley.
But to win their third straight district title, the Panthers must not only make it through the section, they must do so with just three returning starters: midfielders Matt Massucci and Brady Pike as well as Kelson Marisa, who excelled on a defense that recorded 19 shutouts and surrendered six goals last season.
Gone is the productive scoring tandem of Mario and Nicco Mastrangelo. The twins matriculated to St. Francis University. Mario contributed 25 goals and seven assists to the offensive attack while Nicco supplied 23 tallies and six assists. Sophomore forward Bryce Gabelhart will be one of the players expected to pick up the slack on offense.
While Sam Lindsay will be expected to help Marisa fill the holes on defense created by the graduation of Josh Deyarmin, Sean Harrison and Jake Valley, Bennett Falloni will help shore up the midfield, which lost Dylan Wyers, Ryan Ponchione and Rylen Faloni to graduation.
Matt Stuck, Luke Kelly, Rex Heuler, Chase Sierra, Jacob Dumas, Phil Davis, Justin Gamble, Jesse Harker, Tyler Ulrich, Tom O’Hare, Andrew Parker and Joe Richetti are other newcomers, which Dyer expects to plug in to fill gaps caused by graduation. Harker, Ulrich, O’Hare, Parker and Richetti should make key contributions in substitute roles, says Dyer.
“We have depth and a great work rate,” Dyer said. “Those should be our team strengths but our lack of experience could work against us.”
So the plans to repeat for the third year in a row as WPIAL champion and to defend the PIAA title are simple for the Indians. In order to duplicate last year’s success, Dyer said the Indians have to “outwork every opponent and grow with every game.”
The growth period begins the Labor Day weekend as Peters Township hosts Sewickley Academy at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 and Central Catholic Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The Indians also host Mt. Lebanon at 8 p.m. Sept. 8 before taking to the road to face Bethel Park at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10.
After hosting North Allegheny at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 11, the Indians open Section 5-AAA action at home against Moon at 8 p.m. Sept. 15. Peters travels to Char Valley Sept. 17 before hosting USC for the first time Sept. 22 and visiting Canon-Mac Sept. 24.