Chiefs’ Shumaker earns 2nd-team spot
Ian Wolfe has set a new standard for West Liberty-Salem’s boys soccer team. The senior forward recently became the first player in program history to earn Division III first-team all-Ohio honors.
“This obviously means a great deal,” said WL-Salem head coach Tim Wolfe. “I am extremely proud of him. To be named first team is a tremendous accomplishment because it shows his hard work and dedication to improving his level of play was rewarded. It also shows that opposing coaches recognized and respected his level of play.”
Making Wolfe’s accomplishment even more impressive is the fact he only played in 11 of 20 games this season because of injury. He still scored 18 goals, had five assists and had recorded 38 points. Wolfe helped the Tigers to a 16-3-1 record and a spot in the district championship game.
“Ian would be the first to tell you that his teammates were instrumental in helping him earn the award,” said Tim Wolfe. “The players that assisted him and the players that won the ball from our opponents to begin our attack are all a part of his success. Being named all-Ohio is also special because he is the first to accomplish that (in our program).”
Wolfe certainly left his mark on the program over the course of his career. He was second team all-Ohio last year to become a two-time all-Ohioan. He finishes his career with 63 goals and 25 assists. He is the second all-time leading scorer in program history and has the second-most goals in a season. Wolfe also helped this year’s team to the program’s best four-year record of 56-15-4.
“Ian has certain qualities that make him shine on the soccer field,” said Tim Wolfe. “First, he is very competitive and that motivates and drives him to work hard at improving his foot skills and shooting accuracy. His desire to score was very high. Secondly, he is a very strong finisher around the net and from distance, arguably the most accurate in the past 25 years that I have coached at WL-Salem. Finally, he is very fast on the field. His pace with the ball and without the ball put him in situations to score for the team.”
Shumaker named second-team all-Ohio
Caitlyn Shumaker has capped her standout prep soccer career at Bellefontaine by being selected to the Division II all-Ohio second team.
“This is a huge deal for the program,” said BHS girls head soccer coach Kate Smith. “We are so proud of Caitlyn, and she demonstrates to the rest of the team where dedication to excellence can take you. We are working hard to build a strong program that continues to grow, and having an athlete earn such an honor goes a long way towards that endeavor.”
The senior led the Central Buckeye Conference with 23 goals, had two assists and recorded 48 points. She was named the Kenton Trail division player of the year.
Shumaker set the single-season BHS goals record this fall and finishes her career with 64 goals and nine assists.
In addition to her soccer achievements, she has been a state placer in track and a first-team all-league performer in softball.
“Caitlyn is an athlete, plain and simple,” said Smith. “It’s not even that she likes to win, it’s that she wants to perform to the best of her abilities every day, whether it be practice or a game, on the field/track/court/concert stage/classroom. That drive cannot be taught. It can certainly be fostered and facilitated, and we work hard to do that, but, in the end, Caitlyn makes herself stand out because she tries to be at her best every day yet remains coachable.”
Shumaker will leave a lasting legacy on the Chieftain girls soccer program, having been a four-year starter and putting herself in the school record book.
“Caitlyn’s impact on this program is palpable,” said Smith. “She has a work ethic that makes her a great leader who will be missed. Her strive for perfection causes players around her to up their game as well. We saw many successes because of Caitlyn’s hard work, but she also recognized that she couldn’t be a 1-woman show. If she wasn’t the one scoring the goals, she was drawing two or three defenders, enabling others to score. She relied on teammates, as any good captain should, which helped the team find more success and to improve all-around. She demands hard work from those around her, and that’s beneficial to everyone.”