O-R Athlete of the Week: Andrew Massucci, Peters Township
Name: Andrew Massucci
School: Peters Township
Sport: Soccer
Class: Junior
Massucci’s week: The right-footed kicker scored twice in overtime to hand the soccer team postseason victories and nearly did it a third time. On the football team, Massucci kicked the extra point that gave the Indians a 20-19 victory over Gateway in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals.
Massucci’s OT goals did in Baldwin in the quarterfinals and downed Fox Chapel in the semifinals of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. He just missed beating Seneca Valley in the finals when a shot with a little more than seven minutes remaining banged off the goal post.
His extra-point kick with 4.7 seconds left in the game catapulted Peters Township to the WPIAL class 5A finals against Pine-Richland, the top seed in the WPIAL and top-ranked Class 5A team in the state.
“I go to (football) practice when I can and soccer is not in the way,” said Massucci. “Soccer is first. Only one time this year was there a conflict. Soccer (started) earlier. I got lucky because I could play in both.”
Massucci takes pride in his role in the offense and is quick to credit his soccer teammates.
“He had maybe 15 goals this year,” said Peters Township head soccer coach Bobby Dyer. “I think he would tell you he benefits from the hard work of the players behind him. He’s one of the hardest workers we have.”
A sense of humor: Massucci admits to having a wry sense of humor. If a prank is played on someone on the team, you can bet Massucci is in the middle of it.
“He has a sneaky sense of humor and enjoys a good practical joke,” said Dyer. “It’s all in good spirits. I will tell you something people don’t know. He’s a tremendous competitor. Even when we’re at practice, these guys don’t like to lose. It’s a lot of fun to make teams when we’re doing drills. I always like to put him on the team that may not be the strongest, just to watch him get all worked up trying to get them to win.”
Massucci was introduced to soccer by his brother, Matt, and comes from an athletic family. His sister runs track and cross country and both parents were runners.
“We sit around the table and talk about who had the best day,” he said. “Absolutely.”
Compiled by Joe Tuscano