Senior Luke Fiscus finding net for top-ranked Hampton boys

By: John Grupp
Saturday, September 23, 2023 | 11:01 AM

When Hampton senior Luke Fiscus began playing soccer, he was always one of the smallest kids on the field.

He would get pushed around by other players, and doubts crept into his head.

“I was a lot smaller, and I wasn’t nearly as good,” he said. “I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to continue playing soccer.”

But Fiscus has grown into something special.

The all-WPIAL striker/midfielder has scored 17 goals through nine games for the Talbots, who were 7-1-1 (5-0-1 in Section 1-3A) as of Sept. 20 and ranked No. 1 in the Trib’s WPIAL Class 3A boys soccer poll.

Fiscus is still a bit undersized, at 5-foot-7, 140 pounds. But he uses his speed, field awareness and a nose for the goal to lead the Talbots.

Fiscus, the only underclassman to start for Hampton during its WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A championship run in 2021, posted hat tricks against Kiski Area, Highlands and North Catholic as the Talbots move toward their eighth consecutive playoff berth under coach Matt McAwley.

“I think I’m having a really good season so far,” Fiscus said. “Better than I expected.”

Fiscus, who has already scored more goals than he did all of last season (13), impressed Knoch coach Malcolm Cook in the Talbots’ 4-1 nonsection victory Sept. 11. Fiscus scored a pair of goals in the win.

“He’s a very talented kid,” Cook said. “He’s dedicated. He does the right things. He’s a natural finisher, obviously. He likes to score goals.”

Fiscus is also a leader and a versatile player. He plays center back for his travel team, Steel City/Arsenal 17U, and was a captain this summer as the club won the state title and played at US Youth Soccer National Championships in Orlando, Fla., in mid-July. Fiscus was one of 18 players in his age group to be recognized on the Best XI list for the event, earning honorable mention status.

Fiscus, who doesn’t score “any” goals for his club team, moves forward for the high school season.

“It’s definitely different,” he said. “I have to work on my shooting a lot.”

He credited the outstanding play of senior Coleman Docherty and sophomore first-year starter Xavier Ware for helping to create many of his scoring opportunities this season.

Fiscus is the kicker on the Hampton football team for the second consecutive year. Through four games, he had made 9 of 10 extra-point attempts and converted his only field-goal try. He tried out for the team last season — he had never place-kicked before — and went on to be named second-team all-Greater Allegheny Conference.

“I feel like I’m a little bit more calm (this season),” he said, “but it’s hard to get used to the noise you hear compared to soccer games, so I’m always still a little nervous going out.”

Regardless, Fiscus has come a long way from the little kid who got knocked around as a youngster on the soccer field.

“I don’t even think of him as being a smaller player, to be honest,” Cook said. “He looks big on the field.”

Tags: Hampton