Charleroi prepared for bigger, better season
The last four seasons, the Charleroi High School boys soccer teams have gone 65-11 overall, including a 45-3 section record, and won four section titles, two of which were won outright.
Now in his sixth year as the team’s head coach, Jon Ducoli is a quiet speaker, but his team knows what he anticipates.
“My expectations are for us to play to the total capabilities that this team possesses,” he said. “They must push each other to be the very best we can be.
“We are going to take things one match at a time, but we want to be able to obtain a fifth straight section title and make a long and meaningful run in the playoffs.”
The Cougars will open the season Sept. 7 at Mount Pleasant in a Section 3-AA match.
The teams shared the section title a season ago, and when the Vikings recorded a 1-0 shutout at Charleroi in mid-October, it ended a 40-match section winning streak for the Cougars dating back to a loss at Brownsville on Sept. 19, 2017.
While opening the season against one of the top teams in the section is tough, Ducoli is aware that his team won’t look past anyone while circling a date to face the Vikings.
“The boys are more focused about this season and to open up section play at Mount Pleasant will be a great test right off the bat,” he said. “The boys are locked in at the task at hand.”
Leading the way for the Cougars is all-state forward Eben McIntyre.
In 46 career games, the senior has 97 goals and 34 assists. He is only 36 away from breaking the school record of 133 goals set by 2020 graduate Cullin Woytovich.
“Eben is one of those all-around players,” Ducoli said. “He is a natural leader, has great soccer knowledge and is able to pull the trigger or make the pass from anywhere. I am lucky as a coach to have him as one of my players.”
Also an All-WPIAL honoree and the Section 2-AAA Player of the Year last season, McIntyre is receiving Division I interest.
McIntyre is one of eight returning starters, with two being fellow seniors Denver Radomile, a defender, and midfielder Dom Yoclano.
Junior midfielder Ty Patterson also returns, as does a quartet of sophomores in midfielder Arlo McIntyre, goalkeeper Nate Mazron, all-section defender Jake Chambers and forward Jole Chambers.
The McIntyres are brothers and the Chambers are twins.
Rounding out the starting lineup is senior forward Jake Caruso, junior defender Braden Pringle and sophomore forward Bryce Large, who is returning from an injury suffered a year ago.
While the starting lineup is set, Ducoli has built a culture in which the players know they have to produce.
“All positions are up for grabs at all times,” he said. “If the job isn’t getting done, we will put someone in who will (get it done).”
While Ducoli expects the Cougars, Mount Pleasant, Waynesburg and McGuffey to be the top teams in the section, he added that Brownsville, Southmoreland and Yough can’t be taken lightly.
What will define a successful season for the Cougars?
“We have to be able to adapt at the situation at hand,” he said. “If we can force teams to play our game or our style, we will set ourselves up for a solid run.”