“It was a unique year because we’ve never had to play with a target on our back,” Dr. Rob Atkins, the boys varsity soccer coach, explained. Coming off a 2023 season that saw the Knights win the PIAA Class 1A State Championship, the boys soccer team would play a very daunting schedule during the 2024 season. “There were a lot of high-caliber teams that wanted to play us,” Atkins remarked. Accordingly, the Knights took on a slew of large public schools with great soccer programs, leading to many very close games. “We lost several 1-0 games, and one was to Radnor, who ended up winning the 3A state championship,” Atkins stated. 

The team finished 9-11 on the season, ousted in the District 1 Semifinals by Calvary Christian. Despite the season not producing the team’s desired result, the team's emerging culture and values made the season very valuable.

This season, the squad adopted an important phrase that heavily shaped their culture and led to measurable positive growth: “side over self, every time.” According to Coach Atkins, “That just means we choose to do our best, not for self-gain, but what is best for the sake of the team.” This unselfish motto repeatedly encouraged the players to buy into what the team was striving to achieve. “Sacrifices had to be made by coaches and players to do what was best for the team,” senior captain Ben Norbury clarified. “This was a contributor to the successful moments that we experienced.”

Alongside Ben were fellow senior captains Cam Vavala and Matthew Levis, all of whom served as great team leaders due to their four-year resumes. Even Matthew, who missed the latter half of the season due to a shoulder injury, provided effective leadership despite the adversity that he endured. 

With this strong senior class departing, many younger players will need to step up and make contributions to continue the DC soccer success into the next season. Coach Atkins is optimistic, though, that the younger players will rise to the occasion next season: “A lot of guys had a great improvement rate over the course of this season, which will lead to success next year.” 

The boys varsity soccer team anticipates another great season after last year's PIAA 1A State Championship win over Charleroi High School. As senior wing Judah Cooper says, “With our success from last season, I hope we do even better this season.” Indeed, the prospects for this year’s team are promising. 

“Even though we lost some critical players this season I think we still have the ability to be great,” insists sophomore Matteo DeBellis. Some of the key graduates from last year’s championship squad are Cortez Cardone, Griffin Schmitt, and Jake Matthews. 

Nevertheless, many seniors have stepped up early in the 2024 season to fill the gaps, including Matthew Levis, Judah Cooper, Ben Norbury, and Cam Vavala. Another key player who has emerged is sophomore Carter Dill, who is replacing graduate Jake Matthews as a goalie. These key seniors hope to carry the team to another state championship. 

This season the team is led once again by long-time head coach Rob Atkins and veteran assistant coaches John Levis and Nate Shackleton, along with newcomer Jesse Byler. 

 Currently, DC’s varsity squad has played six games, winning two and tying one. However, this is just the beginning of their varsity season as they will play a total of 20 games. 

According to Coach Atkins, “Our purpose as a soccer team is to honor and glorify God by maximizing our God-given talents as we compete at a high level as a varsity program. This purpose has not changed after winning the PIAA 1A State Championship in 2023. In the Fall 2024 season, we desire to continue honoring God by maximizing our God-given talents as we compete at a high level.”