Signature win helps Penn Hills boys soccer wind season down on positive note

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, October 15, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Ryan Hankey hopes the last few weeks of the Penn Hills boys soccer season can feature more milestones.

Over the past few weeks, the Indians have started to play at a higher level. While it won’t be enough to lift Penn Hills into the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, the Indians want every opponent to battle for every result.

Penn Hills got an important win for Hankey by beating Penn-Trafford, 1-0, at home Oct. 3. Mack Byrnes scored the game-winning goal for the Indians against Penn-Trafford. It was the first time the Indians beat the Warriors in Hankey’s seven seasons as coach.

“We always talk about signature wins,” Hankey said. “That win was huge. I’m hoping we still have one left in us against Plum or Central Catholic.”

Results from the match against Plum were too late for this edition. Hankey felt the win over the Warriors kicked off the best stretch of the season for Penn Hills.

The Indians (5-9-1 overall, 3-9-1 Section 4-3A) lost the ensuing match 2-1 to Franklin Regional. Penn Hills followed that with a 3-2 loss to Obama Academy.

“We played with energy,” Hankey said. “The boys had to learn that we must play all 80 minutes. In some of the games, maybe we only played 78 minutes and we would lose the game. That’s all I can ask for is for them to play hard. We don’t have the skill or talent of teams like Plum, Franklin Regional or Latrobe. We have that little grit and athleticism that keeps us in games. We weren’t an easy out for anyone this year.”

Against Franklin Regional, the Indians relied heavily on goalie Landon Hankey to keep them in the game. Landon, who has several offers to play in college, ended up making 25 stops. But, overall, it’s been a tough season-health wise.

Landon, who also kicked for the football team, will be limited for the season’s final few weeks.

“He has a torn thumb and quad,” Ryan Hankey said. “He hasn’t had much time to rest it.”

For this senior class, Ryan Hankey is pleased with the effort they’ve given during their final season. Penn Hills only has four players who are on club soccer teams and are matched up against teams that have more experience.

Two seasons ago, this class helped the Indians break a long postseason drought.

“We’ve been really close,” Ryan Hankey said. “That either tells you are our section was tough or very evenly matched. There are two or three other wins we could have had.”

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