Male athlete of the week
When Fox Chapel soccer goalie Norb Garbisch graduated two years ago, coach Mark Perry was faced with replacing the four-year starter and all-WPIAL selection.
Waiting in the wings was an unproven keeper named Ted Sheedy.
"I had played cup soccer with all the marquee goalkeepers, so I knew where I stood," Sheedy said. "It was just a matter of having the opportunity to prove myself."
In the two years since then, Sheedy has proven to be one of the best in the WPIAL and the state.
With Sheedy minding the net in the fall, the Foxes became a nationally-ranked club, reaching as high as No. 2 in the country in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.
The Foxes went unbeaten in winning the Section 3-AAA championship and did not lose until falling to Peters Township in a shootout in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game, a 2-1 Fox Chapel loss.
Fox Chapel reached the PIAA quarterfinals and finished with a record of 21-2.
"Even though we didn't win the WPIAL championship, overall it was one of the best seasons a team has had in western Pennsylvania," Sheedy said. "It just didn't end up the way we dreamed."
Sheedy, however, did enjoy a dream season in goal.
The senior keeper posted 17 shutouts and yielded only six goals in 23 games all season.
Afterwards, postseason awards were heaped on Sheedy, including his first all-state recognition. He also was an all-WPIAL selection for the second year in a row and was named the Section 3-AAA player of the year.
"When we had our winning streak, (Sheedy) made some saves that changed the complexion of the game," Perry said. "I'd hate to think where we would have been without him.
"There are some other good goalies around the WPIAL, but I wouldn't have traded Ted for anyone else."
For his accomplishments in soccer, Sheedy has been selected by The Herald as Fox Chapel's Male Athlete of the Year.
Matt Rudzki (cross country, track and field), Jason Kreps (golf, hockey), Cyrus Serrao (football, diving, track and field) and Carlin Campbell and Ryan Weisband (tennis) also were considered for the award.
Sheedy also kicked for Fox Chapel's football team and played for the rugby club, but he was a star on the soccer field.
At 6-foot-2, and 190 pounds, he was big enough and athletic enough to make all the plays a soccer goalie needs to make.
"Ted really didn't have a weakness as a goalie," Perry said. "He was good on balls in the air because of his size, he was very quick and had very good hands, and he read the game well.
"The improvement he made from the time he was a freshman was tremendous. He was probably the hardest-working guy on the team."
Sheedy, who will continue his soccer career at Washington and Lee University, is the son of Dennis and Ann Sheedy of Fox Chapel.
Perry, who had the unenviable task of finding a replacement for Norb Garbisch two years ago, might be in for an even bigger challenge next fall.
He has to replace Ted Sheedy.
