Riverview boys soccer team cites growth, improvement during ’23 season

By: Michael Love
Sunday, October 29, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Two years ago, the Riverview boys soccer team went winless in its return to the field after low numbers had put the program in a one-year hiatus.

Last year, the Raiders won one game.

This year, a youthful Riverview team with no seniors on the roster won five games, including a pair of Section 1 victories over St. Joseph.

“The guys were still learning how to win,” Raiders coach Mickey Namey said.

“Each win was so important for how we wanted to continue to grow and improve and just be a better program overall.”

Namey said the team went through growing pains throughout the season, but he was proud of the way his players battled in each game, especially against section foes who are some of the top teams in WPIAL Class A.

“At one point, I don’t know exactly which game it was, but we just started clicking,” Namey said.

“We were tied with (section co-champion) Burrell with 20 minutes left. We were beating (playoff quarterfinalist) Trinity Christian with 20 minutes left. It felt like everyone started to get on the same page. We were playing good soccer.”

“We were playing really well, but we lost a number of games late. I attribute that to small numbers. We worked on getting depth, but we had seven or eight kids who might not have subbed out all year.”

Namey said the season was a learning experience for everyone, especially the seven freshman who were playing varsity soccer for the first time.

“Coming from junior high to varsity soccer, how long it takes for them to get used to the physicality and speed of the game, they grew with being out there in game action and learning how to match that intensity.”

Riverview capped its season Oct. 17 against Class 3A Penn Hills and battled the Indians close before surrendering two second-half goals in a 4-1 setback.

Junior midfielder Chris O’Toole, a team co-captain with junior defender Drew Hunter, scored the lone goal for the Raiders, giving him a team-best 19 for the season. The score tied the game with 16 minutes left in the first half.

Penn Hills came back to take a 2-1 lead into halftime before pulling away over the final 40 minutes.

Riverview finished the season with 33 goals scored.

It recorded a season-best seven goals in nonsection wins over Valley and Leechburg and added five goals in one of the two wins over St. Joseph and a nonsection triumph over Chartiers-Houston.

The second matchup with St. Joseph on Sept. 26 went down to the wire before the Raiders scored a 2-1 win.

The victory was dramatic as freshman Kyle Schuetz scored with less than five minutes remaining in regulation to lift Riverview to its second section win.

Fellow freshman Carson Bodnar got the Raiders on the board in the first half with a goal off a Hunter corner kick.

O’Toole assisted Schuetz’s game-winner.

The win also was a milestone for Namey who picked up 100th victory as Riverview head coach. He has taken Raiders teams to the playoffs eight times in 13 years, and four of those teams made the quarterfinals.

“We had a number of kids really step up throughout the season and play with more and more confidence,” Namey said.

Namey said that section play was solid for many of the teams and that competitive play led to strong performances from the playoff qualifiers in the first round and quarterfinals.

Burrell, the No. 3 seed, scored a 5-1 win over Greensburg Central Catholic in the first round, and No. 11 Trinity Christian upset No. 6 Serra Catholic, 1-0, in a first-round game.

Springdale, the No. 5 seed, advanced to the quarterfinals, and Winchester Thurston, the No. 8 seed, battled Eden Christian before falling, 2-1.

Burrell was gearing up for a semifinal matchup against No. 7 Bentworth after outlasting Trinity Christian in overtime.

“I really think that the section schedule prepared those teams to do well in the playoffs,” Namey said.

Namey said his players also are feeding off the excitement of the Riverview girls team that owns the No. 1 seed in their Class A tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 win over Aquinas Academy in the first round.

The Raiders were to take on No. 8 Chartiers-Houston on Saturday.

“Seeing the girls make the playoffs and win the section, it gives them a little something to fight for,” Namey said.

“They know they can get there if they continue to work hard.”

Namey said the team players are excited about continuing to grow and hopefully challenge for a playoff spot next fall. Several opportunities to train and play in the offseason, he said, has the goal of keeping as many of the players together as possible.

“Most of the kids will play in the offseason with (Burrell coach) Andrew Kariotis and his Dragons FC soccer club team,” Namey said.

“We’ll also go in to PISA for a (winter) indoor session. We’re also working on establishing a Twin Boro U18 travel team so they can all stay together through that for several months leading right in to the high school soccer season. The guys are excited about continuing to work together to build to next season. We were close in so many games this year. They really want to take that next step.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Riverview