Perkiomen Valley Soccer Teams Ready to Hit the Ground Running

Following a season in which finished as the league runner-up and took perennial power North Penn to its limit in PIAA District playoff action, a level of expectation has been established.

That level of play and anticipated return to the Pac-10 finals is one that the Vikings players are not shying away from as they prepare for the 2011 season.

“We want to get back to the finals; bottom line, that’s our goal,” said senior captain Matt Quirk.
“We will accept nothing less. We want to get back there and win it this year. With the group of seniors we have and the younger players that will be a big part, we should be able to do it.”

Quirk and fellow captains Mike Chen (senior) and goaltender Taylor Zeitz (senior) will have to step up in the stead of the eight senior that graduated last season, which were an integral part of the success.

Senior Sam Donahue and junior Brett Davis should help fill the offensive needs as the Vikings head into the rigors of the Pac-10 schedule against powerhouses like Spring-Ford, coming of the first unbeaten season in school history, and Boyertown.

“Spring-Ford was ridiculous last season, they had one of those years,” added Quirk. “They will come back to the pack a bit this year as they lost a lot of seniors as well. As a team we need to focus on the playing our best for every minute, we need to take care of our business and the rest will work it’s self out.”

Head coach Bob McCabe, who has led Perk Valley to Pac-10 titles in 1997 and 2001, the same seasons that McCabe was named as coach of the year, will depend on his group of eight talented seniors to lead the younger players, which will see extended playing time, as the depth of the Vikings will be an asset. 

 “We expect a lot of ourselves,” said three-sport letterman Brett Davis. “We know what we are capable of, and training camp is when you put the work ethic in place. We as upperclassmen have to step up and set the example by doing the little things correctly and improving every time we take the field.”

 Perkiomen Valley schedules and changes can be for this season at www.digitalsports.com

Vikings girls head coach Kim Paulus, in her eighth year at the helm, has dedicated her career to coaching the youth of Perkiomen Valley. Paulus has noticed the improved quality of play as training camp opens every year.

“With all of the youth programs now, the skill set we see at this level has improved dramatically,” said Paulus.
“When I started here you could count the number of girls playing club soccer on one hand; now they all play year round.”

Perkiomen Valley will take the field with a lot of the pressure of its search for a Pac-10 playoff berth, setting squarely on the capable shoulders of goalkeeper Emily Armstrong, who recently committed to Boston College.

“I am so glad to have made the decision,” said Armstrong. “Boston College was the best fit for me, academically as well as on the field. It will be so much fun to just relax and play this season, with our best efforts we have a great chance to get to districts this season.”

For the Vikings, 2010 was a year of “close calls and could have, should have”, the key to a successful campaign this season will be their ability to take advantage of opportunities.

“We have to tell our selves this year that a tie against Boyertown or Spring-Ford is not good enough,” added Armstrong. “It’s in those games that we have to dig down and find away to come out with a win, we have to want it more than our opponents.”

The senior group of Armstrong, Emily Brooks, Becky Gilligan, Liz McShane and Lauren Valerio should provide cause for anxiety as Pioneer Athletic conference foes and coaches try to prepare for the Perk Valley balanced scoring attack.

“We have started to get older,” said Paulus. “For the first time we will be starting as many upperclassmen as under. We have some very experienced players that will be a big part of our success as a team this year.”

The underclass contingent led by Courtney White (F), Frankie Barrett (C/MF) Emily Hodsen  (D), Katie Thomas (C/D) and forward  / center midfielder Kelly Balzereit will help provide the much need speed factor and help fuel the Vikings offensive attack.

“We are much quicker than we have been,” added Paulus “Speed is something that can’t be taught. The girls was all worked very hard to get faster and it should help us in the late stages of games, when the opposition is tired from having to chase us. I am really looking forward to the challenges of this season.”