West Shamokin Varsity Soccer Continue Improving This Season

 

by Jake DeLuca

The West Shamokin Wolves varsity soccer team was able to improve five wins from 2014 to 2015 and third year Head Coach Joe Treglia hopes to continue the upward trend this year in the Heritage Conference.

With only one senior and a mainly junior core, the Wolves should be set for major improvements this year. Coach Treglia is very familiar with the core group of players that he is coaching and expects the players to buy in more than ever this year.

“Most of the players have played the three years since I started coaching, so they are at the point now where they are comfortable with what we are doing and really, what’s expected.”
Summer practices are always a good point to make an impression and according to Treglia “every position is a battle, I told these guys since day one that nothing is set in stone.”

One position up for grabs is goaltender, which the Wolves head coach has narrowed down to two players.
Although many positions are up for grabs, Treglia believes that he has a good core group of strikers.
“We have some good strikers, we have Jack Rearick, Liam Alese, Dakota Smith, we got a lot of returning players who I think will build on what they did last year,” said Treglia.

Some people say the best offense is a good defense, and the Wolves head coach believes that his defense is the strong point of the team.
“We do play (defense) on our heels a lot and we always seem to play strong and hold the fort down and then we create chances on their mistakes.”
The Wolves will open the regular season against Carrick High School (Pittsburgh) and on top of opening the season for West Shamokin this game will also have added meaning for Treglia.

“We open against Carrick High School. It is a team that we have never seen before, but it is an old city team that I played in high school, so it will be a nice to see an old stomping ground where I played for four years. I never lost against Carrick, so I’m hoping that streak continues. “Treglia said.
West Shamokin will play their first scrimmage a week from today, on August 24th and will open the season against Carrick High School on Friday, September 2nd.