Chartiers Valley wins WPIAL soccer title
Chartiers Valley raised the Class AAA trophy after edging Mars, 1-0, in the WPIAL boys’ soccer championship game at Highmark Stadium.
Chartiers Valley’s Sean Tinney heads a ball away from Mars defender Lucas Mowery (No. 5) and towards goalie Emin Diren during WPIAL Class AAA championship soccer action at Highmark Stadium. The Colts defeated Mars, 1-0, to win their first title since 2001.
Chartiers Valley celebrates after winning its first WPIAL championship for boys’ soccer in 15 years.
Déjà vu. Garrett MacKenzie experienced it when he watched Jimmy Boyle launch a shot from 30 yards out for the decisive goal in Chartiers Valley’s 1-0 victory against Mars during the WPIAL Class AAA boys’ soccer final Nov. 5 at Highmark Stadium.
MacKenzie was a player on the Colts’ last championship club in 2001. He is now the CV skipper.
“It was an identical goal. Thirty yards out and the kid just took it with his left foot,” MacKenzie said recalling Neil Kohlmyer’s heroics in that district final 15 years ago. “It looked the same. You’re asking yourself, ‘why you shooting? Why you shooting?’ And then it goes in and you are jumping up and down. Man, what a goal.”
And, man what a feeling for MacKenzie, who also played in a state championship contest. The Colts embarked on PIAA play last night (Nov. 8) when they faced Somerset at Seneca Valley in the first round of the playoffs.
“To see the guys wear the same uniform you did and work so hard,” MacKenzie started. “It means everything to bring a championship back to CV. To see these kids earn a trophy & lift a trophy, there’s just nothing like it. Nothing,” he added.
Boyle concurred.
“It feels amazing,” said the junior forward. “We were waiting so long for this. I can’t believe it. I’m so excited.”
After a scoreless first half, Boyle provided the drama. With 36:43 to play, he scored the lone goal of the game.
“Jack (Barlow) played me the ball,” Boyle said. “I took a touch to my left. No one was really on me so I decided to go ahead and shoot it and the next thing I know it went in bottom corner.”
At that point, Boyle knew the rest was up to the CV defense and it complied. Jonny Henderson, Charlie Kovach, Baxter Eckenrode and John Uher put the clamps on the Planets’ attack and Caleb Zajicek was iron clad in the nets. And, with under eight minutes to play, Lennon Zrimsek made the play of the game for the Colts when the junior cleared a shot from the mouth of the net, preserving CV’s third shutout in four playoff games.
How much the defense contributed to CV’s championship was “100 percent” said Boyle.
“Offense might get the glory but the defenders and Caleb kept us in the game,” he said. “They kept us in the whole playoffs and the whole season. I cannot give them enough gratitude.
“We have so many goals scored,” continued Boyle, who has 14 on the season. “We are such an attacking team and we have so much faith in our defenders that we know that if we play Chartiers Valley soccer that we are going to come out with a win.”
MacKenzie agreed with Boyle’s analysis. “Our defense doesn’t get enough credit but shutting out Mars is huge. They are a good team, too.
“My guys fought so hard. They battled all year. I’m overjoyed for them. They got it done.”
Within three years, MacKenzie got it done. He noted that two years ago, the Colts had only four wins but his players, who are seniors and juniors, now, strived to improve. “Everybody got a little bit better,” he said. “So it’s exciting. It feels just like when I was a player but I don’t know if my heart can take much more of this.”