County pair earn all-state honor
Butler's Mohney, SV's
Newell snag boys soccer nod
December 8, 2017 High School Soccer
Butler
forward Tate Mohney was named to the all-state team for boys soccer after
scoring 18 goals for the Golden Tornado. Seneca Valley's Louis Newell, who
scored 10 goals, was also named to the team.
DAVE PRELOSKY/ BUTLER EAGLE
For Louis Newell, it was a great way to cap
his soccer career. For Tate Mohney, it serves as a springboard toward what
figures to be a decorated senior campaign.
A senior midfielder at Seneca Valley and
junior forward at Butler, respectively, both players were recently named to the
all-state team.
Newell began wrestling in kindergarten and
picked up soccer in the second grade. The former has been his best sport. He
already has a WPIAL title and a pair of runner-up efforts at states to his
credit.
Mohney led an impressive turnaround for
Butler. In 2016, the Golden Tornado won just a single section game. This fall,
the team won six such contests, won a playoff game and finished with a final
record of 14-6.
Mohney paced Butler in goals with 18.
“There wasn't much excitement on last year's
team,” Mohney admitted, “but I could tell from the start of the preseason that
this year was going to be different. The captains took lead of the team and
making it happen was pretty easy with everyone wanting to do it.”
Troy Mohney, Butler's coach and Tate's
father, saw marked improvement in his son's game this year.
“He has always been a very good soccer
player,” Troy said. “This season, he got frustrated a lot less and he worked
harder. His vision on the field was something I really noticed.”
As big of a threat as he is to score, Tate
Mohney has proved to be as good of a distributor of the ball. In his three
varsity seasons, he has scored 29 goals and contributed 30 assists. His 18
assists this fall fell one short of the program's single-season record.
“He likes having the ball at his feet and
loves scoring goals, but also passes the ball tremendously well,” Troy said.
“He took a lot of our corner kicks this season and has the ability to drive the
ball in or loft it and it's usually pretty accurate.”
His all-state selection tells Tate Mohney he
is right on schedule in his soccer career.
“It's a great honor,” he said. “It was one
of my goals before the season and I want to get All-American next year.
“I can't put it all on me, though,” Mohney
added. “I was happy to put up the numbers I did, but would not have been able to
do all of that without my teammates.”
Derek Pyda