It’s dark when I go to school and it’s dark when I go to training. The weather took a very quick turn here in Pittsburgh as well. The cold rain and snow make training tougher but that’s what we’re playing in as well, so it’s necessary. Speaking of playing, we’ve played in one showcase (went 1-1-1) and have had two league games (1-1) for Steel City FC. I don’t think the record speaks to the progress we’ve been making though. Our team is talented and we’re just starting to gel. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. Gonna also post some more highlight video here. I still have some games to get up here. Thanks for following my journey!

Just 72 hours after losing to Moon HS in the PIAA HS Soccer Quarterfinals, I was back at my second home with my club team, Steel City FC.

I was excited to see my teammates, having not seen a lot of them since July. Also, being that it’s our senior year of High School, we are now a combined 06/07 team, so I get to play with a lot of boys I’ve only trained with before.

We had our first game of the season last weekend; a friendly against Beadling SC which we drew, 0-0. We did some good things though, especially in build up play that has me excited for the season.

This weekend, we’re headed to the Gateway Showcase in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three games in three days is always tough but I’m looking forward to getting back in the groove with Steel City.

I’ve posted some more video from the Allderdice HS season (https://jacekpiekut.com/highlights-from-10-5-24/) and I’ll continue working on getting it all up here. Thanks for following along on my journey. 

When I began my Senior year, I knew we had a good team and a great chance to extend our season. There was no way for me to expect all that we would encounter along the way, however. We ended up getting all the way to the 3A Quarterfinals of the PIAA State Championships. We faced the Moon Area Tigers in that match. They came into the game 23-0-0. They hadn’t lost or even drew throughout their season.

Moon scored early in the match as we were just getting our nerves settled. I had a “hockey assist” as my dad calls it on our goal that came on transition from a Moon free kick. We held that 1-1 score all the way through full time. For the first time all season, Moon was forced to OT. Unfortunately, Moon was able to get the Golden Goal pretty early into the first OT. Our season ended there.

I was devastated in the moment and for a while after the game. I had put on my #8 Dragon kit for the last time. It was the end of an era. But I have to be proud of what we overcame. Emotions ran high for much of the season and we continued to perform at a high level despite all of the noise.

Despite Allderdice being deemed ineligible for WPIAL Playoffs, I was named All-WPIAL by the Coaches who voted and I am truly thankful for that. I was also voted Team MVP by my teammates.

I learned so much this season about leadership and about team work. I’m so thankful for the group of young men who I call friends and teammates. The personal accolades are not nearly as important at what our team was able to achieve!

There’s been so much going on that I haven’t even had a minute to update here.

On October 4th, the night before my Allderdice High School Soccer team would qualify for the playoffs, we were notified that we were now ineligible.

It’s overly complicated but I’ll try to explain. We’ve been competing in the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) since 2012. The WPIAL is considered District 7 by the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association). My school, in the City of Pittsburgh, is considered District 8. My school district, the Pittsburgh Public Schools, is the only school district in District 8. So, the soccer team (along with some other sports) have been considered associate members of the WPIAL (District 7) for 12 years. We’ve been assigned to their sections, completed regular seasons and competed in the WPIAL Playoffs, for 12 years when we qualified. Apparently, in early 2023, the WPIAL made some adjustments to their “constitution” and removed our exemption that allowed us to compete in the District 7 season and playoffs. But here’s the kicker…THEY DIDN’T TELL US. They didn’t tell us in February of 2023 when they wrote it. They didn’t tell us in July of 2023 before that season started or at any point throughout that season. They didn’t tell us when they assigned us a section in Spring of 2024. They didn’t tell us in July of 2024 before the season began or as we were racking up wins against our “section” foes.

They told us on Friday, October 4th, 2024 at 7:25pm, 20 months after they had voted on it and about 14.5 hours before we would play a game, win, and clinch a WPIAL Playoff spot!

The confusion and disappointment were overwhelming. So, in the days that followed, we started a very public campaign to try to overturn this decision. We argued that since they hadn’t told us, our season should be allowed to run its course in the WPIAL. I was interviewed by the online publication, “Pittsburgh Soccer Now.” I did an on-air television interview with local NBC station, WPXI. I started a petition. Some of our team parents wrote an Op-Ed. We begged and pleaded on our social media pages to “Let Us Play!”

Nothing.

So, now what we’re being told is that District 8 (Pittsburgh Public Schools) will have their own “playoffs.” There are 3 boys soccer teams in District 8-Allderdice, Obama Academy (also assigned a WPIAL Section), and Brashear (did not play a WPIAL schedule). Brashear and Obama play on 10/21 and then the winner of that game will play us on 10/23. Whoever wins that game will then play the District 9 Representative (which includes the counties of: Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter) in the sub-Regional Playoff game. Whoever wins that moves on to the PIAA Regional round.

When I began my Senior High School Soccer Season, my goal was for my team to make it into the WPIAL Playoffs and fight for that WPIAL Championship. Now, more than mid-season, those goals are no longer possible. Now, the goal is to just help my team go as far as possible. 

Yesterday I found out that I, along with 3 of my teammates, was named to the All-Section team for Class 3A – Section 3 (in the WPIAL!). I am very honored and very thankful that the Coaches in that section recognized us despite the sudden ineligibility rule. Thank you all!

Go Dragons!