Entering the 2022 season this past fall, there were a lot of changes to the Parkland High School boys soccer program. The Trojans had 12 players graduate following the previous season and welcomed a new head coach in Scott Mang.

What didn’t change, however, was the winning tradition that Parkland has in the sport each and every year. The Trojans finished this season’s campaign at 24-2-1 overall and won both the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 4A championships.

They also made it further in the PIAA playoffs than any other Trojan team has in 24 years. Parkland fell in its last game, 1-0 to District 1 champ Lower Merion (23-2) last Wednesday in the state semifinals at Spring-Ford High School.

“Winning the EPC regular season was an absolute grind on the team, and that was very rewarding, but winning the EPC Tournament and District 11 championship was extra special because it was the first time we won it, since 2017,” said Mang. “We knew that we needed to be tougher mentally and physically than we have been in a while and the boys proved they were. Going three rounds in states proved to the boys that we were not a one-and-done team once we left the district. Now when we set a goal of winning a state championship, I think they will start believing that we can actually make it that far.”

The Aces lost in the final to Seneca Valley 6-0.

Mang looks back on his first season at the helm and is proud of his group for not only its wins on the field, but their work ethic and effort off the field.

“They showed great character throughout the season both on and off of the field,” said Mang. “They volunteered in their community, they raised money with our Red Card Cancer Game vs. Emmaus, and I know that they inspired future Trojan soccer players.”

Parkland will once again graduate 12 seniors from this year’s team. Those include Mathew Link, Gabriel Blikshten, Sean Wood, Owen Lambinus, Grant Berger, Lucas Heberling, Ty Sosik, Kai McGalla, Brian Sodowski, Stathis Motsenigos, Doug Martinez and Saad Quddus.

“The seniors have always been like a family because they have been friends and played together for quite some time,” Mang said. “I appreciate the boys’ hard work, leadership and commitment to both the coaching staff and to one another. Sean Wood, one of our captains, would always say at the end of each training session or game, ‘Brothers on Three, Family on Six’. Enough said.”

The future looks bright as the JV team finished their season undefeated at 14-0-1 overall.