Big Reds try to return to elite level

PARKERSBURG - The magnificent seven seniors who led the Parkersburg High School boys soccer team to its glory last year have ridden off into the sunset.

Now it's time for the 2008 version of the Big Reds to rise to the occasion.

Parkersburg returns 13 letterwinners from a squad which finished 19-3-2 and claimed both a sectional title and a Mountain State Athletic Conference championship. Gone from that unit are first-team, all-stater Michael Pitrolo along with West Virginia's Goalkeeper of the Year (Brent McGee) and Defender of the Year (Tim Stephens).

The Big Reds must also compensate for the 13 goals and 10 assists Cody Brown contributed last year as a senior.

"We graduated some really good kids," PHS coach Don Fosselman said.

"We can't replace those kids, but this team has worked so hard and they made a huge commitment in the offseason just to work every day."

The program is rich in history. Currently, 10 Big Reds are playing college soccer including Pitrolo at West Virginia University, and Evan and Brent McGee at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn.

This year's PHS captains, seniors Derik Craft and Ryan Grant are looking to follow in their footsteps. As a midfielder, Craft scored four goals and added four assists during the 2007 campaign. Grant, who returns at forward, was the team's second leading scorer with 11 goals and two assists.

"They are strong and physical," Fosselman said. "Back in November, we emphasized conditioning and strength training. This is one of the strongest teams I've ever coached."

Although PHS failed to score during two preseason scrimmages last week in Columbus, Fosselman is confident that players like Craft, Grant and forward Thomas Kerns will produce their share of goals. The Big Reds will find out soon enough when they open the season Friday night against Linsly Academy followed by Wheeling Park on Saturday afternoon.

"This year, we are real young - we are trying work as a unit and get ourselves better every day," Grant said. "We just need to go out and give our best every game."

Fosselman has been encouraged by the play his two goalkeepers - junior Spencer Griffey and sophomore Chad White. Griffey gets the nod in the depth chart, but White is not far behind. The midfielders should also be a strength for the Big Reds.

"We have to establish our own identity and we will do that," Fosselman said. "A lot of our kids are equal. The lineup I start right now may not be the lineup I start two or three weeks from now."

Last year's 3-1 loss to Huntington in the regional finals ended PHS' reign as two-time defending state champions.

"We always have goals to win sectional, regional and state," Fosselman said.