For the first time in 21 years, the Highlands boys soccer team is heading to the WPIAL playoffs.
The Golden Rams received the No. 15 seed in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs Wednesday and will travel to Leetsdale to take on No. 2 Quaker Valley at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
“We’re super excited as a team, as a coaching staff and as a program as a whole,” coach Ethan Gillette said. “I believe the last time the girls soccer program was in the playoffs was 2019, so soccer as a whole, here at Highlands, has not made the playoffs in six years. For the boys, especially, it’s been 21 years. So we are very happy to see our names get written down on that bracket, and we’re very happy with how it turned out.”
In their second year under Gillette, a 2020 Highlands grad, the Golden Rams improved their skills, matured physically and increased their soccer IQ. All this allowed them to increase their overall and section win totals by three.
Highlands also beat Freeport for the first time under Gillette, and the senior class beat Burrell for the first time in their high school careers. Their season included a tight, 2-1 battle with No. 3 North Catholic and seven games in which they won by five goals or more.
However, the Golden Rams’ overall improvement from Gillette’s first season to his second could be attributed to their defensive mindset.
“We’ve been very strong defensively throughout the season. That’s been our main emphasis,” Gillette said. “As a former defender myself, of course, I have a strong defensive mentality, but through that, we can build up attacks through situations. We’ve been much more improved on set pieces this season as well, so that has translated to a lot of goals. That’s been very beneficial in working our way up. Then having that strong foundation in the back to build off of has been fantastic.”
Gillette highlighted Highlands’ second loss to North Catholic on Sept. 27 as a game that stood out. The Golden Rams lost 5-2 in their first matchup of the year and showed a lot of “defensive fortitude” the second time around to keep things close.
At the tail end of the season, however, Highlands needed two crucial wins against Freeport and Burrell to all but seal its playoff hopes and outscored the two opponents 8-0.
“That was what really made me happy,” Gillette said. “That showcased that all 11 across the field understood the importance of defense, and we used that to create offense. That’s really what made me proud.”
Highlands’ back line consists of key contributors such as Garrett Snow, Calleb Ruggieri, Jackson Babinsack, Dean Besterman and holding midfielder Cainen McCann. Junior Liam Roberts also has stepped up in net by recording five shutouts.
While the Golden Rams have focused on their defensive efforts, senior midfielder Ryan Maloney has led the offensive charge. A year after tallying 25 goals, Maloney has scored 35 times, which makes up nearly half of Highlands’ offensive production. He also has 18 assists.
“Everyone from the coaching staff and all the way across the board respects him as a leader and as a player,” Gillette said. “He plays center-mid and is all over the field for us, creating, generating, finishing, set pieces. You name it, he can do anything we ask.”
With one goal accomplished, the Golden Rams now look to build off it, but they have a tall task in front of them. Quaker Valley is an established WPIAL powerhouse in boys soccer with 10 WPIAL championships and nine PIAA titles. It has put together another special season with a 15-2-1 record, with its only losses coming in the first two games of the season.
The Quakers have won 14 of their last 15 games, with their only blemish being a 1-1 tie with No. 4 Avonworth on Sept. 25. Despite the challenge, Gillette and his team are looking forward to it.
“Very talented team; their coach is very strong,” Gillette said. “They have a strong foundation built there. ... We’re looking forward to a good challenge.”