Standing at 9-3 overall and 6-1 in WPIAL Section 1-AAA, the Norwin boys soccer team has plenty of reason to be optimistic.

But then when you consider that the Knights’ three losses have come to teams with a combined 30-1-1 mark, their record appears all the more impressive.

Even in 1-0 losses to both Seneca Valley and Penn-Trafford and a 2-1 defeat to Upper St. Clair, Norwin gained a sense that they can compete with the WPIAL’s elite.

“Whenever you play a good team and you play well, there’s a sense of satisfaction even though we didn’t get a result…we felt that we could play with the best teams around,” said Norwin coach Scott Schuchert.

Yet, since the loss to section rival Penn-Trafford, the Knights have won three straight games, including a key win in conference play over Hempfield.

“If anything I’d say we used those losses as motivation. I don’t think we let that get us down at all,” said senior defender Alec Gongaware.

According to Schuchert, the team’s turnaround can be attributed to Norwin’s younger players gaining confidence and the leadership of several key players, namely Gongaware.

“I think it starts in the back…our center back, he and our center midfield corp.,” Schuchert said. “He’s like the bloodline of our team. Our team feeds off his energy. Right now he can stay with the best forwards in the WPIAL and he’s proven that.

“I think with his consistency and the way he plays, I think it was only a matter of time before we started to get the one goal advantage.”

Along with a strong midfield featuring Clay Coffman and Bobby Svec, the Knights have been able to control the field. Cam Eckberg has been strong while filling in for the injured Yanni Leventropoulos as well.

“They have really shown that they can control the game by just winning the midfield,” said Schuchert.

Gongaware and Schuchert both agree that the Knights’ offense has appeared to improve over the last several games, a welcome sign heading into the team’s final stretch of games.

“I think we’re really starting to find our rhythm and we’re starting to string some passes together better than we were at the beginning of the season and I think we’re being able to find the back of the net,” Gongaware said.

With an Oct. 7 rematch against Penn-Trafford circled on the schedule, Schuchert and the Knights are continuing to build momentum as they attempt to earn their first playoff win since 2010.

“After several tough matches with great teams, I feel we are more complete and prepared to make a stretch run,” Schuchert said. “Usually, teams are starting to grind out their remaining season at this point.

“We are now ready to start our climb to the peak.”

Alex Oltmanns is a freelance writer.

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