Springdale boys soccer confident after run to WPIAL title game, PIAA playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 28, 2018 | 9:21 PM

Springdale’s official boys soccer Twitter account put the rest of Class A on notice earlier this month with a tweet that despite significant losses from last season’s WPIAL runner-up team, in no way did the Dynamos consider 2018 a rebuilding year.

For now, the Dynamos are staying mum on the tweeter’s identity, but they fully support the message.

“We can’t be satisfied with just getting (to the WPIAL championship): We want to bring one home,” senior goalkeeper Mike Zolnierczyk said. “That’s going to be the goal for this year, to still be a championship-minded team and go to Highmark (Stadium) and win one.”

The confidence is there for Springdale after an underdog run through the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs last fall.

Given the seventh seed after finishing second in Section 1-A last season, the Dynamos upset No. 2 Freedom and No. 3 Seton LaSalle in the postseason before falling to top-seeded North Catholic, 2-0, in the championship game. They beat Windber in the PIAA first round before losing to Brockway in the quarterfinals.

Those two weeks instilled a confidence in Springdale that remains, even after the graduation of seven senior starters.

“To be honest, in the beginning of the year we didn’t expect it,” junior midfielder Michael Mitchell said. “We knew we had a solid core — we didn’t really lose any guys from the year before — but after last year, when we saw the run we can make, we have a lot more emphasis. We know we can get there, so we just have to work hard.”

Springdale’s graduation losses include leading scorer Jared Demore, last season’s Valley News Dispatch Player of the Year; fellow top offensive contributors like Justin McClafferty, Zach Libertati and Nick Taliani; and starting defenders Miles Liberati, Brogan McCutcheon and Logan Panza.

“We lost a lot of seniors, but everybody loses seniors,” Zolnierczyk said. “That’s the case for any team. Riverview, Vincentian, Avonworth, everybody loses kids, and every year they’ve got newer kids coming up, younger talent. I feel pretty comfortable with the core we’ve got back from last year and the younger guys coming up that we’re going to have a solid team and be able to make another run to the championship.”

The Dynamos’ core begins with Zolnierczyk, a four-year starter in goal who recently received a Division I offer to Harvard. He’ll be fronted by junior Matt Taliani, who shined as sweeper last season and scored the winning goal over Seton LaSalle in a shootout during last season’s WPIAL semifinals. Mitchell, already a strong defensive midfielder, likely will take a bigger role in the offense.

Other returning key contributors include junior forward Michael Krason and junior midfielder Alex Barch.

“We’ll have to step up this year and try to make it back there,” Matt Taliani said. “It’ll be our challenge. We’ll have to ramp it up and try to top last year.”

An early scrimmage against Beth-Center gave Springdale the opportunity to mix and match its pieces as it attempts to find the right fit in lineup and formation.

Replacing the goal-scoring firepower of Demore, who scored 28 himself, along with their other key offensive pieces, looms as Springdale’s biggest early challenge. But the Dynamos can lean on the prowess of Zolnierczyk and their defense, which posted 12 shutouts last season.

“We might not score as many goals, but one or two goals, with the strong play we have in the back, maybe we can win games that way,” Springdale coach Cesareo Sanchez. “The goalie’s the strength, and the defense and midfield.”

Sanchez said the team depth also provides an advantage, as it did last postseason when two starters suffered injuries and the Dyanmos still kept winning.

“We have four or five players that the level of soccer will stay there when we replace them for injuries or breaks,” Sanchez said.

Springdale will compete in Section 1-A with Aquinas Academy, Avonworth, Carlynton, Eden Christian, Riverview and Vincentian, and with North Catholic’s rise to Class 2A, that leaves a champion void the Dynamos hope to fill.

“The end-of-the-year goal is always to win a championship,” Zolnierczyk said. “You can’t be satisfied with just going .500 or being over .500. The goal is set on Highmark, winning that championship and finally being able to bring one home for the school.”

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Doug at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.

Tags: Springdale