Deer Lakes’ Collin Rodgers selected A-K Valley Boys Soccer Player of the Year

By: Michael Love
Sunday, November 23, 2025 | 9:16 AM

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A-K Valley boys soccer all-stars

Player of the Year

Collin Rodgers

Sr., Forward, Deer Lakes

As a freshman, Collin Rodgers felt the rush of Deer Lakes bringing home a WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer championship at Highmark Stadium.

Three years later, as a senior, Rodgers had that feeling again as he and his Lancers teammates captured WPIAL gold Oct. 29 with an intense 3-2 victory over Beaver.

“It was amazing, especially playing a night game with the atmosphere and the whole community there,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers finished the season as one of the most prolific goal scorers in the Alle-Kiski Valley with a team-high 28 goals to go with 18 assists. For his efforts, Rodgers is the A-K Valley Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

He was selected from a group of candidates that included Fox Chapel senior midfielder/forward Rocco Didomenico, Plum senior midfield/forward Austin Kolankowski and Highlands senior midfielder Ryan Maloney.

“When the lights went all green (after each Deer Lakes goal in the WPIAL final), that was pretty awesome,” Rodgers said. “It was something crazy that when I was down there (in 2022), I didn’t get to experience something that spectacular.

“It started with us (seniors) wanting to get back there since freshman year. We started off as champs, and then we had an early exit sophomore year. Last year, we were cut down in the semifinals. There was such a core of us from our freshman year who wanted to get back and bring home another title for the school and the program. And it was just an entire team effort, and I am so proud of everyone.”

And the Deer Lakes community was proud of the way Rodgers helped lead the Lancers through a challenging regular season, including a runner-up finish in Section 1-2A, and the run to not only the WPIAL championship but also to the semifinals of the PIAA tournament.

His impact was felt in every game as Deer Lakes finished 20-3-1. He helped lift the Lancers to a top-four finish in the state.

“Honestly, I think just being able to play free and relaxed really helped me this year,” said Rodgers, who again earned All-WPIAL honors. “I noticed in basketball that I sometimes get very tense and tight. In soccer, I just went out and played fast and loose without worrying about making mistakes or trying to do too much. I just let the game flow as to how I played.

“Going out there knowing how strong of an offense we had really took the pressure off. We trusted each other to score goals and help the team win. What I was able to do couldn’t have happened without my teammates. Individual and team success couldn’t have happened without each one of us doing our part and working together.”

Rodgers scored both goals in Deer Lakes’ WPIAL semifinal win over Quaker Valley, and he assisted on both goals in the Lancers’ 2-1 PIAA quarterfinal victory over District 3 runner-up Tuplehocken.

He had the lone goal in Deer Lakes’ 3-1 PIAA semifinal loss to District 10 champion Fairview.

“That game showed how much we grew as a team,” Rodgers said. “They scored two quick, early goals, and I think if that happened earlier in the season, we would’ve shut down, and we might have gotten at each other a little more. But we knew how good a team (Fairview) was, especially what we knew from the year before. We didn’t want it to start that way, but us staying together, even though we lost 3-1, it showed the heart and character of this team the way we kept battling.”

Rodgers’ message to the players coming back and newcomers hoping to make a splash next fall?

Go and do it again.

“I hope they can keep the consistency and the will to compete at a high level,” he said. “The foundation has been set for this team to continue to do great things.”

Rodgers hopes to do great things in the immediate future as he prepares for his final varsity basketball season.

Then it is off to college to major in actuary science. Rodgers said Penn State is a likely landing spot for his course of study.

“Obviously, I love playing sports, but I had a conversation with my parents about what my future should be, and what my focus is. I’ve enjoyed playing these last four years, but I am content with shutting it down for what I want to do in (academics) for my career.”

First team

Rocco Didomenico

Sr., MF/F, Fox Chapel

Any time there was a big moment to be had in the Foxes’ championship season, Didomenico was involved. The senior’s leadership helped his team win WPIAL gold at Highmark Stadium, and he paced the team with 10 goals. His efforts were rewarded with all-section, All-WPIAL and all-state recognition.

Austin Friedline

Sr., F, Knoch

A heart-and-soul leader for the Knights, Friedline helped his team earn a spot in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. He fronted the offense with 13 of its 26 goals. Friedline was named to the Section 1-3A first team.

Luke Hoberg

Sr., D, Plum

The back line for the Mustangs again was strong with just eight goals allowed in 19 games. Hoberg, a team co-captain, helped lead the way. He also provided a goal and two assists for a Plum team that made it to the WPIAL semifinals before falling to Fox Chapel. Hoberg was recognized with a spot on the Class 4A All-WPIAL team.

Austin Kolankowski

Sr., MF/F, Plum

Kolankowski has been connected to big moments in Plum boys soccer for several years, and he didn’t disappoint in his final season with the Mustangs. He tied for the team lead in goals with nine, and he also led with nine assists. Kolankowski, selected to the All-WPIAL and all-state teams in Class 4A, delivered two assists and one of the successful penalty kicks in Plum’s WPIAL quarterfinal shootout victory over Norwin.

Peyton Kushon

Sr., F, Deer Lakes

A VND first-team selection for the second year in a row, Kushon joined Rodgers in helping form a lethal Lancers offensive attack. He finished second on the team with 19 goals and added 13 assists in Deer Lakes’ run to the WPIAL title and a spot in the state playoffs. The All-WPIAL selection scored the lone goal in the Lancers’ PIAA first-round win over Harbor Creek and had four postseason goals overall.

Ryan Maloney

Sr., M, Highlands

The Golden Rams earned their first WPIAL playoff berth in 21 years, and Maloney had a standout season in helping them reach that goal. He scored 36 goals, tops in the Alle-Kiski Valley, and added 18 assists. The All-WPIAL selection led Highlands to eight victories. He scored the lone goal in the Golden Rams’ 5-1 loss to Quaker Valley in the first-round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.

Greg Morse

Fr., MF/F, Riverview

It was predicted that Morse would be a difference-maker in his first varsity season with the Raiders, and the freshman delivered. He used his ball-handling skill and speed to develop himself into an offensive threat. He scored a team-best 15 goals and also led with 11 assists. His standout season, which helped Riverview secure another WPIAL playoff spot, was recognized with a spot on the Class A All-WPIAL team.

Jacob Orseno

Sr., MF, Deer Lakes

The Lancers’ offense had multiple weapons, and Orseno was dangerous with the ball in helping his team return to Highmark Stadium and deliver the program’s third WPIAL title and first since 2022. He scored 16 goals this season and added 11 assists. The All-WPIAL selection scored his team’s lone goal in a 1-0 victory over North Catholic in the WPIAL quarterfinals and tallied one of the two in Deer Lakes’ PIAA quarterfinal triumph over Tuplehocken.

Sean Regan

Sr., MF, Fox Chapel

The Steel City FC standout rolled right into the high school season with momentum. He helped control a powerful Foxes midfield and the defense at center back as they gave opponents fits on a nightly basis through the Section 3-4A slate, their nonsection games, and the run to WPIAL gold at Highmark. The seasoned varsity performer was honored for his efforts with a spot on the Class 4A All-WPIAL team.

Alex Wylly

Jr., MF/F, Springdale

Wylly’s talent was on display from the start of the season. He scored twice and added an assist in a key early-season win over Riverview, tallied six goals in his team’s first five games and finished the Dynamos’ playoff season with a team-best 20 goals. Wylly added seven assists and was named to the Class A All-WPIAL team.

Second team

Austin Beck, Sr., D, Kiski Area

Brady Celko, Jr., F, Highlands

Xavier DeWitt, Jr., D, Freeport

Brennan Mattie, Sr., M, Springdale

Mason Mattie, So., M, Springdale

Artemey Parshyn, Jr., M, Deer Lakes

Rocco Polo, Jr., F, Fox Chapel

Marco Tommasino, Sr., M, Plum

Zane Spence, Sr., D, Deer Lakes

Ryan Sutara, Sr., M, Freeport

Sharif Zuriekat, Jr., D, Fox Chapel

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: Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Plum, Riverview, Springdale