Wheelersburg senior Mia Vastine (left)

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

WHEELERSBURG — Truth be told, and it’s well-documented, sustainability for girls soccer programs in Scioto County — and even Southeastern Ohio — are often times teetering year-to-year and fall-to-fall on the proverbial fence.

However, one program that has maintained its course for now starting its second decade is that of the Wheelersburg Pirates.

The pilot Lady Pirates played first a full season in 2014, and now enter year 11 — as second-year head coach Kevin Powell actually assisted the initial nine years of the Wheelersburg girls program.

Powell said the Lady Pirates, like the emergence of other girls soccer teams, played out of first the school co-ed clubs — as Wheelersburg’s archrival Minford has sported a girls team for over three decades now.

“Before 2014, any girls that were interested in playing soccer at Wheelersburg played on the boys team, and that made it a co-ed team. There were always usually two to five girls on that team every year, but it’s so difficult for girls to compete in that type of game against that athleticism and that type of physicality,” said Powell, prior to a recent Lady Pirate practice inside Ed Miller Stadium. “You have a 15-year-old or a 16-year-old young lady going against a 17-year-old or even 18-year-old young man. That’s just not fair.”

The key is keeping the program first afloat, and then building it to such where low numbers never anymore are a concern.

This season, Powell said the Lady Pirates have around 22 players in the entire program.

“We always have a really solid roster,” he said. “We have probably averaged a few more than that for a lot of years, but that’s just the way the classes are falling right now.”

And, the Lady Pirates’ ship has full steam ahead.

While Minford captured the Southern Ohio Conference championship 10 years ago, the Lady Pirates acquitted themselves well with a Division III sectional tournament triumph over Alexander —amid a monsoon for a rainfall, Powell recalled.

“That actually set the stage and our expectations were high,” said the coach. “Fast forward to now where we’ve won seven SOC and four district championships in our 10 years of existence.”

All time, Wheelersburg has recorded 138 wins, 33 losses and 15 ties.

For the now eight seniors but only two juniors, which make up half of the Wheelersburg roster, their goal is an eighth SOC banner to be hanging in the high school gymnasium —and a fifth district championship as the Ohio High School Athletic Association has expanded soccer divisions to now five.

“Our incoming freshmen are a very talented group with our seniors being a great group of leaders” said Powell. “It’s a good combination of youth and experience to blend together.”

Two seniors served as Lady Pirates spokeswomen —Mia Vastine and Layni Greenhill.

The speedy Vastine, who has 25 career goals, has started for four years at forward — while Greenhill has played for two, despite battling injuries.

There was plenty of Lady Pirate program praise to go around.

“I think a lot has to do with our coaches, and from the ground up just hard work, and making sure that’s what leads to our success,” said Greenhill. “Different conditioning and drills, and just learning what true leadership is. That is the most of our success.”

Wheelersburg girls soccer head coach Kevin Powell (right) instructs Lady Pirate senior Layni Greenhill (left).

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

Vastine recognized the program’s bond, combined with community support.

“I think that teamwork too…with these girls we’re always super tight as a senior class. It’s a great community to be part of and be around. We’ve always had a lot of success with numbers coming out, because it’s just such a fun sport to play. It’s a great time,” she said. “I think we can be great role models for the younger groups to show how teamwork works and how leadership works and how working together as a community can create much success.”

It starts at the grassroots level and building numbers —through youth league levels and now in the Lady Pirates’ second year of offering a junior high program.

“Twenty girls in the junior high program, those girls coming up through will definitely help the numbers. Then having a solid youth program is important. Our rec league has always been really good, and we average around 350 kids participating down the river every fall,” said Powell. “And I think success too. We’ve been fortunate to win a lot of games in 10 years. Girls want to be part of something that is successful. We’ve had some girls that have never played soccer that come into the program and have had very successful high school careers, even with limited experience. They have good athleticism and the willingness to learn and the winning mentality.”

Powell said the Lady Pirates play as many junior varsity matches as possible, although most schools — even larger schools such as Jackson and Chillicothe — simply do not have the necessary numbers for such.

West and Ironton St. Joseph have had girls teams in the past, but unfortunately not in recent seasons —although Valley is featuring a full girls team for this year.

Powell provided also a copy of the updated Lady Pirate soccer record book —as Wheelersburg has played Minford 22 times, and has defeated Northwest in all 21 of those meetings.

A dozen Lady Pirates have advanced to play collegiate soccer, including their top two all-time goal scorers in Christen Risner and Libby Miller.

Both Lady Pirates played from 2015 thru 2018, as Risner recorded 83 career goals and Miller 77.

Risner played soccer and softball at the University of Rio Grande, while Miller starred in soccer for Georgetown College.

Miller has the most goals in a single season with 40, while 2015 to 2018 teammate Sophie Hagans had 57 career assists —followed closely by Risner’s 52.

In goal, Brynley Preston posted 110 saves in the COVID-19 season of 2020, while Morgan Bivens — who played at Kentucky Christian University and is now a Lady Pirate assistant coach —boasted 10 shutouts in each of her four seasons (2016 thru 2019).

Speaking of 10, the aim of the Lady Pirates’ cannon is to still be playing soccer —and winning matches and coveted championships — another decade from today.

“It’s here to stay,” said Powell. “Building the program the way we have, I think we’re set up for success and attracting new girls in every year, as well as some non-soccer players that decided not to play volleyball or other sports. Sustainability is always important for every program, or it should be. A school our size definitely has the number of girls and athletes to field a soccer team every year.”

Wheelersburg senior Kenzie Piquet

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

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