Valley boys soccer dives back into WPIAL competition

By: Jerin Steele
Friday, August 30, 2024 | 10:14 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Erik Kidwell’s journey to coaching started with trying to sign up his son Hayden for the Valley boys soccer team.

That’s when they found out the school didn’t have a team.

The program went dormant but since has been revived.

After a three-year hiatus, the Vikings are back to playing a WPIAL schedule this fall.

“After I found out (Valley) didn’t have a team, I reached out to and talked with the athletic director and principal,” Kidwell said. “They ended up holding a meeting to gauge interest in a boys soccer program at the end of the 2022-23 school year. There were nine or 10 boys that showed up, and they thought that was enough to get the program going again.”

Valley played an open schedule last season to get experience. There ended up being nine games on the schedule. Typically, teams play an open schedule for two consecutive seasons before rejoining the WPIAL, but with a new two-year cycle starting this fall, the WPIAL welcomed the Vikings back into the league.

Kidwell did not coach the team last season but took over during the summer.

He coaches futsal in the winter with Burrell coach Andrew Kariotis, working with some of his current players. Kidwell credited Kariotis with helping him in the transition to coaching high school soccer.

The Vikings did not win a game in their 2023 open schedule, but that did not deter most of the players from coming back.

Kidwell said there was a return rate of 98% from last year.

There are 23 players on the roster, enough to play a junior varsity schedule.

Tamiel Davis led the team in scoring last year and is a team captain. Davis is one of only two seniors on the team, but Kidwell said there’s a promising group of younger players who just need more seasoning.

“It’s unfortunate that Tamiel is a senior and maybe won’t see the fruits of the labor that the younger guys might see in the future, but, hopefully, he gets to experience some of it,” Kidwell said. “We have some returning juniors and sophomores. Trent Hicinbothem is a fantastic defender for us. Jackson Dameron is a midfield player that has shown a lot of improvement but a lot of natural skill, too, with moving the ball up the field.

“Hayden, my son, can play defense or midfield. I also have a fantastic freshman prospect for goalie, Jamaree Samuels. It is his first time playing soccer, and he wants to play goalie. By the time he’s a junior or senior, if he sticks with it, could be a pretty good force in net.

“My main focus right now is to get them to a point where they can be competitive in matches,” Kidwell said. “I know and they know that it’s going to be a long road.”

Valley is in Section 1-2A with local rivals Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands and Leechburg. Shady Side Academy and North Catholic are also in the section.

Kidwell went to Northern York and didn’t play soccer in high school because he was talked into playing football instead.

He’s happy to be a part of giving his son and the rest of the players an opportunity to have a high school soccer experience.

“I was a bigger guy, and my guidance counselor just happened to be the football coach and he really talked me out of playing soccer and choosing football in high school,” Kidwell said. “I regret not playing soccer but have made peace with it. I think it’s something that allows me to relate with the kids and teach them on the field.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Valley