Shaler boys soccer adapting to change early on this season

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 11:01 AM

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Peering at the scoreline of the Shaler Area boys soccer team’s season opener,coach Adam Hunter doesn’t find what he anticipates seeing all season.

The Titans were blanked by Fox Chapel, 3-0, in their Section 1-4A opener last Monday, conceding two goals late in the contest. What Hunter believes is that Shaler’s offense is too experienced to not make waves.

Seniors Ross Hartley, Todd Tylenda and AJ DeLeonibus have all demonstrated scoring touch for the Titans.

“They are the pulse of the team,” Hunter said. “They have the freedom to do what they need to do. They know the game. I give them a lot of freedom to use their creativity.”

The senior trio hopes to translate that scoring touch into enough goals to rebound from a 1-13 mark in section last year and get back into the playoffs. Shaler didn’t get an opportunity to ease into the season, starting the section schedule against Fox Chapel, North Allegheny and Butler, which all made the postseason last year.

Results from the matches against the Tigers and Golden Tornado were too late for this edition.

“Technically, we are solid,” Hunter said. “We’ve had great combinations. Tactically, we are solid and need to have more movement off the ball to move forward.”

The Titans also return an experienced player in goal in Jeremy Maurer.

Shaler (0-1, 0-1) was able to work out some of the kinks during a scrimmage with Bethel Park in the preseason. Most of Hunter’s players hadn’t played many competitive matches since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic.

He would have liked to play another game to start the season, but feels they were as prepared as they could be for section play.

How far this group will go depends on how Shaler adapts throughout the season.

“We just need to change the mindset and expect better from themselves,” Hunter said. “Staying mentally connected with 80 minutes and not having a moment or second of mental lapse or giving up a goal. We had two mental mistakes that Fox Chapel jumped on and countered.”

The Titans believe if they keep their heads on straight, they can win games.

How far that will take them will depend on how they grow as they accumulate more experience.

“Playoffs is the goal,” Hunter said. “I think this year we have the deepest team I’ve had at Shaler. I think we have a lot of skilled players. I know in talking to the boys, even after (the loss to Fox Chapel), they were disappointed with the result. They thought we could have done better.”

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