After scores of deserving high school players across the state received individual honors like All-American and All-State, it is time to recognize the people who led them to standout seasons. The Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association announced their picks for Coaches of the Year on Dec. 9, as well as their selection for Assistant Coach of the Year.
A: Adam Brownold – Winchester Thurston School
In his 19th season, Brownold not only won the 1A Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Coach of the Year, but Winchester Thurston also announced that Brownold won United Soccer Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year for Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Brownold led his team to a 23-0-1 record, winning the WPIAL final against Greensburg Central Catholic (3-1) and won the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association State title against Faith Christian, 1-0 in double overtime.
AA: J.J. Veshio – Quaker Valley
Veshio guided Quaker Valley to a 23-2-0 record, winning WPIAL’s for the 10th time in school history. They beat North Catholic 5-0 before beating Lewisburg in the PIAA State Final, 1-0 on penalties. Gene Klein won the award in 1996 and 2005, while Andrew Marshall claimed the award for Quaker Valley in 2017 and 2019.
AAA: Matthew McAwley – Hampton
Also the 3A WPIAL Coach of the Year, McAwley piloted Hampton to a 23-1-0 record. His group was the first to beat the undefeated West Allegheny squad in the WPIAL final, 1-0. Hampton capped the year with a 1-0 win over Archbishop Wood in the PIAA State Championship.
AAAA: David Zimmerman – Conestoga
Conestoga ran the table in 2021 and Zimmerman is just one of the beneficiaries. He led Conestoga to a 26-0-0 record while knocking off Lower Merion in the District 1 Class 4A boys soccer championship. They also toppled defending state champion Seneca Valley – who had trailed once during the season – in the PIAA Class 4A championship match.
Girls Coaches of the Year
A: Derek Stine – Southern Columbia
No stranger to the award, Stine claimed his third PSCA Coach of the Year title since 2018 and second in as many years. Stine guided the Tigers to their second consecutive PIAA title and third in four years when they topped Greensburg Central Catholic, 4-0.
AA: Robert Spatzer – Allentown Central Catholic
After guiding Allentown Central Catholic to its first PIAA Class 2A title, Spatzer receives his first Coach of the Year honor. The team went 17-3-3 on the season, which culminated in a 2-1 comeback win over Avonworth in the championship.
AAA: Jake Solderitsch – Radnor
Though they came up short in the PIAA Championship, Radnor put together quite a season. Solderitsch led the team on a historic run to the PIAA 3A State Championship and won District 1 back in early November. They earned a regular season record of 14-4, they won 11 games in a row at the end of their season coming into playoffs.
AAAA: Bill Pfeifer – Moon
Pennsylvania’s all-time girls' soccer wins leader adds another Coach of the Year award to his resume, adding to the ones he earned in 2013 and 2016. Moon had an overall record of 20-1-1, beating Seneca Valley in the WPIAL final, 3-0, and claiming victory over Conestoga in the PIAA State final, 2-0.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Matthew Lawrence – McCaskey