Indians making title runs look easy

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Defending a state championship, particularly in a talent-rich state such as Pennsylvania, is an incredibly difficult accomplishment. It's also something the Peters Township boys soccer team is making look awfully easy.

The Indians, following Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Central Bucks East, stand one win from becoming the second Washington County team to win back-to-back PIAA titles in any sport.

The first? The 1988 and 1989 Peters Township boys soccer teams.

The difficult can become reality with a victory over Downingtown West in Saturday night's PIAA Class AAA final at Hersheypark Stadium.

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"It's unbelievable. For this team to go back to the state finals for a second time, it's just unbelievable," said Peters Township coach Bobby Dyer, a key component on the championship-winning teams two decades ago. "We lost five starters from last year's team but these guys accepted the challenge. What they've done is unbelievable."

How unbelievable?

Consider this:

n Peters Township sports a lower boys enrollment - 558, according to PIAA.org - than any of its opponents in the state tournament or anyone it played in last year's state playoffs.

Over the years, many coaches - particularly following a loss - cited enrollment as a reason.

The Indians' accomplishments seriously damage the credibility of the coaches who say, "We're a small big school."

n The Indians had to replace Shane Pruitt, the 2007 Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year, and all-state defender Pat Russo.

n Peters Township's season was written off early after it opened the season with a loss to Fleetwood and a 2-4 record including three straight losses.

The start did little to bolster the idea these Indians would advance this far.

"This is very gratifying, and it's satisfying to know that a lot of people showed us a genuine lack of respect earlier this year," said Dyer, who is one win away from joining his former high school soccer coach Jerry Luxbacher, Washington High School boys basketball coach Ron Faust and Canon-McMillan football coach Guy Montecalvo as the only Washington County high school coaches to win multiple PIAA team championships.

"A lot of people told these kids they would not defend their title. Here we are, we're back in the state finals in a tough state to win."

A program that has won six WPIAL championships over the past 22 years, three state championships and will play in its fifth PIAA title game, got there by adapting strategies and employing patience.

In the opening two rounds of the state playoffs, Peters Township attacked Taylor Allderdice and Fox Chapel. Against Central Bucks East, the Indians looked like an entirely different side, until looking at the final score.

It took Peters Township several matches for new starters, such as defenders Reid Cservak, Ryan Mathews and forwards Nick Wilcox and Corey Wilcox, to adjust to their expanded roles. It took the standout play of goalie Ryan Koepka, sweeper Greg Weimer and midfielder Christian Brandstetter to get the Indians back on track.

And it took contributions from different players at key times.

Now, Peters Township can claim to be the first school in PIAA history to have its boys and girls soccer teams playing for state championships in the same year. The Peters Township girls play Conestoga in the match before the Peters Township boys.

The odds of such an occurrence are minimal, at best. It requires immense talent, great coaching and, for the Indians, the arduous, anonymous work of the Peters Township Soccer Association - the high school's feeder factory.

"Our guys love that no one expected them to get back," Dyer said. "They came together for each other and it's just awesome."

What's better than awesome? The Indians can find out Saturday night.

Mike Kovak can be reached at mkovak@observer-reporter.

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