The varsity boys soccer team has been on fire and are continuing to heat up. The boys are 10-3-1 in the Section 2 AAAA as of October 16, 2023. The boys team now faces up against Seneca Valley in the first round of WPIAL playoffs.
The boys started out their season with a season starting tournament at Seneca Valley where they suffered a crushing defeat in the final to the defending state champs Seneca Valley 1-5. This loss propelled the players on this team to keep working and have pushed them to a second place finish in the section; second only to section rival Upper Saint Clair.
The Knights last section game of the season they squared up against Upper Saint Clair, which the boys had previously lost to with a score of 1-0 on Sept. 19. This most recent match up against USC on October 12 forced a 1-1 draw with the section champions inspiring hope for the boys in the upcoming playoff run. This season the Knights have adopted a new saying developed by Coach Schuchert and captain Owen Christopher: “IRON SHARPENS IRON.” This new saying shows for the boys how hard work pays off and that as a team they must get stronger together.
“We know that we’re a talented group, but talent alone won’t get us far,” said Christopher. “Everyday we should have the mindset that no one will outwork us.”
In the second half of the season the boys got into a minor slump with two consecutive losses to Cannon Mac and Peters Twp. Despite these losses senior Owen Christopher and other team leaders pulled through and kept the hope of the fans and their teammates up with stand out performances showing just what the Knights are made of.
This Knights team has been lead by a strong senior class, including the likes of Owen Christopher, Anthony Scalise, Rick Zappone, Alex Brown, and a few more. These seniors lead the way for the Knights this season with high level of skill at their respective positions. Not only have they performed on the field, but they have been excellent role models for their younger teammates who will carry on the Norwin name.
In an unfortunate turn of events, the boys’ starting senior goalie Anthony Scalise was injured in a nonsection game against Penn Trafford. Luckily, the boys were able to call upon backup goalie junior Ryan Dooen. Dooen showed up in clutch moments for the boys making key saves that helped propel the boys in to playoffs. This was not all Dooen though because Scalise used his veteran knowledge to help teach Dooen about the game and how to be a leader on the field for his team.
The team also has other returning players who are dominant this season on the soccer field. One such player is junior Daniel Maddock. Ever since he joined the team, he has been scoring goals and has never slowed down. He plans to keep up this winning and continue to dominate going into his senior year.
The Knights team this year cannot only attribute their success to their talent, but they also have a strong coaching staff in their corner. This includes the likes of Coach Scotty Schuchert, who has been with the program for a long period of time. He brings a winning mentality to the team and is helping the boys get better day by day. Not only the consistency at head coach, but the Knights have brought on new coaches who have brought a new edge to the team.
”Let us create a strong fortress around our team,” said Coach Schuchert. “Remember, it takes courage to lead and prioritize the greater good.”
