Quaker Valley claims title

Tri-State Sports & News Service

HERSHEY, Pa. — It was fitting that Ian Rodgers was the first Quaker Valley player to get his gold medal after the Quakers won their first PIAA Class 2A boys soccer title since 2000.

After all, he did score the winning goal.

Rodgers capped off a three-point game when he beat Lancaster Mennonite goalkeeper Carter Hurst with 10:10 remaining in regulation to give Quaker Valley (23-2) a 3-2 victory against the Blazers at Hersheypark Stadium. It is the first title for the Quakers since they were co-champions after a 1-1 tie with Fleetwood in 2000 and their first outright crown since 1996.

Quaker Valley also lost to Lewisburg, 1-0, in a PIAA final a season ago.

“I’m just really happy we came to play and I think everybody in their individual effort made a commitment to the team,” Rodgers aid. “Starting last year [Nov. 18], we made a promise that we would get payback and come back for the gold.”

It wasn’t an easy win. Lancaster Mennonite (26-2) came out firing and had several outstanding scoring opportunities in the opening minutes. The Blazers also counterpunched quickly after Quaker Valley’s first two goals.

“They woke us up for sure,” Quaker Valley coach Andrew Marshall said. “We knew this was going to be a tight game and that this was going to be a very difficult task, as it should be in a state final, and I think the opening minutes we were fortunate to weather that storm and, as the game wore on, we were able to impose our will and, in the second half, I thought we were the better team.”

It also helped that Quaker Valley never trailed as Landon Grant helped shake off that slow start with a goal on the team’s first shot at 5:28 of the first half. He also gave the Quakers a 2-1 advantage at 11:31 of the second half when he chipped home a feed from Rodgers.

“You could feel that they were kind of over on us in the beginning of the game and to get a goal just got our confidence going,” Grant said. “I don’t think we were nervous, but I think we just came out a little flat and I think getting that goal really just boosted our energy a little bit.”

Still, despite the quick scores, Lancaster Mennonite had answers both times. Shota Totani popped in the Blazers’ first goal just 4:25 after Grant opened the scoring, then Matthew Lynch reciprocated after the second Quaker Valley tally 1:22 later to tie it up, 22. That was how it stayed until Rodgers’ winner.