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By Nora Marsh
The Pen Argyl Area High School saw a season chock full of young talent with a JV roster boasting 12 new freshman players. These students include Vincent Alfred, Preston Borger, Bode Breidinger, Dominick Foley, Gabriel Gomez Pintor, Kaen Kaiser, Caden Metzgar, Marshall Shank, Aiden Tallada, Joshua Warnken, Maddox Wedge, and Brady Whitman.
The new freshmen brought skills to every part of the field. Defenders like Kaen Kaiser and Caden Metzgar, along with attackers such as Joshua Warnken and Dominick Foley, helped cover almost every position. Aiden Tallada stood out as goalkeeper, and players like Vincent Alfred and Brady Whitman played both midfield and defense. The team felt confident about the season. Players like Alfred, Kaiser, and Warnken thought the JV team had a real chance to go undefeated.
Photo Courtesy of Tony Borger
Marshall Shank, freshman JV player, heading a soccer ball to Derek Stuckey, sophmore JV player, to assist in a goal in a game against Catasauqua
The large number of new players sparked both excitement and competitiveness. “I think the number of freshmen joining is great because it makes it competitive, so everyone wants to secure their spots,” said Alfred. Metzgar added that the group already has strong chemistry from playing together in the past, pointing to last year’s Garcia Cup win as evidence of their ability to succeed as a unit.
Breidinger and Wedge pointed out that having so many freshmen will make the JV team stronger right away, but it is still unclear how this will affect the varsity team in the future. Most people agreed that having more young players is good for the program overall.
When asked about the long-term impact of their class, responses varied. Some, like Shank and Tallada, expressed hopes of helping the program succeed in districts and even securing more resources for the team. Whitman, however, looked further ahead. “I believe if the freshmen we have now stick to soccer, we will go to states not only once but twice in my junior and senior year and lead our younger students to carry the torch,” Whitman said.
Kelton Giamoni, senior varsity player, has been playing on the soccer team since his freshman year.
Giamoni said, “A lot of the freshmen came to work hard and wanted to earn their spot on varsity, and a lot of them came with a determination to work hard.”
At the end of the season, the team went undefeated with a final record of 12-0-3.
It is clear that the freshmen have brought new energy and drive to Pen Argyl soccer. Thanks to their passion and hard work, both the JV and varsity teams have a bright future ahead.
The coaching staff also sees the promise of this freshman-heavy group. Nevin Smith, head coach, praised the JV squad’s early progress. “The JV team is doing awesome this year. Some of them are getting some varsity time, but none of them are starters yet. But the season has only just begun.”
With the possibility of all twelve of these players returning to the team next year, Coach Smith is certainly working with a roster stacked with talent and a decent amount of varsity experience. Surely, the future is bright for Pen Argyl soccer.
Photo Courtesy of Tony Borger
Aiden Tallada, a freshman JV player and goalkeeper, about to punt after saving a goal.
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