Hampton boys soccer hungry after title-game near-miss

By: John Grupp
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Rebuilding is a dirty word for Hampton’s Matt McAwley.

The 10th-year boys soccer coach doesn’t want inexperience or youth to be used as an excuse at a program that has reached the WPIAL Class 3A finals twice in the past three seasons.

“There are a lot of shoes to fill from last season,” McAwley said, “but there are a lot of guys who are ready to step up.”

The Talbots graduated 12 seniors, including the school’s single-season goal-scoring king and two other all-WPIAL players, from an 18-4-1 team that went undefeated in Section 1-3A and reached the WPIAL title game.

But McAwley is encouraged by the energy of the new-look roster, fueled by last season’s 4-2 loss to South Fayette in the WPIAL championship game.

“They look very good,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of hungry guys in the offseason. In the wintertime, they came up to me and said they were hungry after that (WPIAL loss). They didn’t want to be in a scenario where they graduate and they don’t have an opportunity to get back to that stage. They are looking to prove to themselves that it’s their time.”

The return path won’t be easy. Gone are striker Luke Fiscus, who last season scored a program-record 37 goals, along with all-WPIAL and career 50-goal scorer forward Coleman Docherty and all-WPIAL midfielder Oliver Spinola. They were all part of Hampton’s 2021 WPIAL and PIAA championship runs.

The Talbots bring back five starters: senior midfielder Caden Muchenski, senior defender Dom Jordan, junior forward Xavier Ware and junior goalkeepers Landon Bieker and Gavin Guinn.

“We came up short last year,” Jordan said, “and we want to get back there and win.”

Ware was a double-digit goal-scorer last season, and Bieker and Guinn excelled while spliting time in net. The Talbots recorded 11 shutouts and outscored their section opponents 67-5.

“The new lineup is looking different than last year, but it’s definitely a good squad and we have a lot of guys coming up who are looking to prove themselves,” Muchenski said. “I think they can do it. They are young and hungry.”

Senior forward Gavin Coplin, senior striker Danny Kenst and junior Matteo Sciulli will be expected to shoulder increased roles this season. Midfielders Charlie Bacasa, Braden Cox and Liam Van Aken, forward Jake Killian and defender Brody Dunstan — all seniors — will provide leadership and depth on a team seeking to reach the WPIAL playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

The section also has a new look, with Knoch, Obama Academy and Shaler replacing Highlands and North Catholic.

Armstrong, Indiana, Kiski Area and Mars remain as holdovers. The Talbots were scheduled to jump directly into section play with only a couple of scrimmages under their belt, hosting Mars on Aug. 27 in the season opener.

“I think we are all hungry,” Muchenski said. “We all felt that (WPIAL finals) loss and it was pretty hard. We are excited for this season, and we are looking to make another run.”

Tags: Hampton