Schuylkill Haven sophomore Mike McGoey scored seven goals in a span of four days, including a game-winner in double overtime to beat Tri-Valley.
- Grade: Sophomore
- Age: 15
- Residence: Schuylkill Haven
- Family: Parents, Dan and Melissa; dog, Lucy
- Position(s) you play: Midfield and forward
- Other sports you play: Baseball, football kicker
- Club/travel teams: I’ve been playing for Dean Evans at FC Revolution for 6 years. We played in the President’s State Cup final this past season and we plan to play at Disney this December.
- Favorite pro athlete: Lionel Messi
- Favorite pro soccer team: Manchester United
- Favorite NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
- Favorite pro sports teams: New York Yankees
- Favorite college team: North Carolina
- Favorite subject: Math
- Favorite food: Steak
- Favorite movie: Step Brothers
- Favorite TV show: Riverdale
- Favorite color: Blue
- Favorite musical artist: Trippie Redd
- Hobbies: I collect coins and ride bike. I like to play other sports like basketball or tennis with my parents and I hang out with my friends every Friday.
Q: How exciting was it to score the game-winning goal in double overtime to beat Tri-Valley?
A: It was really exciting. We were all just so pumped to win. We missed some opportunities to score early on, so to come back and do it when it really counted, felt awesome. Everyone was fired up.
Q: Describe that game-winning goal. How did it happen?
A: It was really intense. There was only like a minute left in our second overtime. We earned a corner kick and Kaede Fessler placed it perfectly to the back of the 6-yard box. I created some space in the box to anticipate the ball and saw the position of the goalie, so I headed the ball into the left corner.
Q: What has been the key to your team’s unbeaten start in Schuylkill League play?
A: There are a lot of positive things going on with the team. We went to team camp this summer. We’re spending more time together and we’re starting to communicate more on the field. Mr. G and the coaches keep talking to us about leadership and holding each other accountable on the field. Danny Grabish has been phenomenal in goal and Bryce Sisko is playing amazing defense. Our defense is shutting down the big scorers. Offensively, our team has been working together more to make a lot of scoring opportunities. We’ve finished goals enough when it counted to win the Division II games.
Q: You scored a hat trick in Saturday’s win over Williams Valley. Is that your first varsity hat trick?
A: No. I had 5 (goals) in a game last year. If we are winning, our coach usually moves us around once we score a couple, to get more players in the game.
Q: Your team built 3-0 halftime leads in the wins over Nativity and Williams Valley. How important is it to get off to a fast start in soccer?
A: Coming out strong and taking the lead is really important. We have a lot more options and confidence that way. Everything just goes better and we can get a lot more substitute players involved in the game. Playing catch-up can be exciting but it puts a lot of tension and stress on the team and it’s much harder to win that way. We need to start winning at the beginning of the game.
Q: If you get a penalty kick, what determines if you shoot right or left?
A: It really all depends on how the game is going and what is going on in my head that moment.
Q: Haven has a rich soccer tradition but hasn’t been in the Schuylkill League playoffs in three years. How important is it for your team to get back there?
A: It’s really important to us to bring success back to our program and we owe it to our coaches and team to make it happen. We have a lot of seniors this year. They’ve been working for four years to have an awesome senior season and I think we will do it. We just have to keep working to improve our game.
Q: You’re listed as a kicker on the football team’s roster. How much time do you spend with the football team?
A: I don’t spend a lot of time with the team this year, as the backup. Gavin Evitts is a senior and he’s a great kicker, but I’ll be around a lot more next year.
