Champions (noun) – A person(s)/team who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition. A term that defines the Greater Latrobe Boys Soccer team. For the first time ever, they are section champions.
By no means was this an easy feat for the Wildcats. In their first game of the season, they fell at home to Montour by a score of 5-3. If that game was any indicator on how the season would play out, the Cats would have had a long season. But, Greater Latrobe quickly found their footing in their first section games.
Head Coach Jake Rice has been in command for just three years but has all the respect in the world from his players. “I’m always getting on them about their work ethic and effort,” Rice said, “But I do that because I want them to be at their best every game and every practice.” The extra push from the coaching staff would certainly be of help while the Wildcats won their next six games including five section tilts to improve their record to 6-1-0 (5-0-0). Senior captain Roman Agostoni spoke highly of Coach Rice and the rest of the coaching staff. He said, “[My coaches] always relied on me and gave me the confidence to perform consistently throughout the whole season.”
The Cats then dropped their first of two games against Taylor Allderdice on the road. This loss would sting as a section loss until Mid-October when the WPIAL ruled that all of Allderdice’s games would be scored as exhibition games. Allderdice, along with the only other City League school in 3A, Barack Obama Academy of International Studies, were removed from section play. This decision came when the Dragons were sitting at third in the section. Greater Latrobe lost the second game against Allderdice as well, both times being shutout, the only times this season that the Wildcats’ dynamic offense was completely shut down. All this meant was that Greater Latrobe, who should’ve had two section losses, had zero because of the WPIAL and PIAA decision to declare the Dragons’ games pointless to the section.
The Cats snagged another win against Washington before falling to Plum. Then, Greater Latrobe won their next five, all being section matchups. The second of the five was Senior Night against the Uniontown Red Raiders. The Wildcats repeated much of the same from their previous 9-3 beatdown of Uniontown, only this one was a little more special. Agostoni, who had been the heart and soul of the Wildcats offense, scored a record-breaking goal while on route to a 12-1 rout of the Red Raiders. Agostoni scored the 53rd goal of his high school career, which surpassed his older brother Nolan, who previously held the record with 52 goals. Roman now holds the record for most career goals scored by a Greater Latrobe Wildcat. “It was pretty special for me personally because my little brother [Warren] assisted me and I broke the record of my older brother,” Agostoni remarked.
After Greater Latrobe’s 4-0 win over section opponent Belle Vernon, they headed to Harrison City to take on the Penn-Trafford Warriors. With a victory the Wildcats secured at least a share of the section title. The Cats did not disappoint as they defeated Penn-Trafford 3-1 to claim a share of the title for the first time ever.
Their work was not done however, as the Cats took to Rossi Field against the Franklin Regional Panthers, the team sitting right behind them in the standings. With no section games left for either team, and both teams having one section loss, this game determined whether or not Greater Latrobe would share their first section title or win it outright. It would take all they had and a goal in the second half from the best goal scorer in the section, but the Cats did it. Agostoni scored the game’s lone goal to lift the Wildcats to their first section title ever. Senior goalkeeper Reece Dicasalo made five saves to keep Franklin Regional off the board.
In a tough section, the Cats finished 8-1-0 in it and 13-4-1 overall. Four Wildcats earned “All Section” accolades: seniors Roman Agostoni, Reece DiCasalo, and Brady Kring, along with sophomore Warren Agostoni. Roman Agostoni earned the PIAA Player of the Year award in the 3A section. Head coach Jake Rice was also awarded Coach of the Year in the section.
