Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
Caesar Rodney boys soccer player Chris McPoyle.
CHRIS McPOYLE, senior, Caesar Rodney boys soccer
THE WEEK: Had two goals and two assists in the Riders’ 5-1 victory over Polytech last Tuesday. Also scored Caesar Rodney’s only goal in a 2-1 loss at No. 2-ranked Appoquinimink on Thursday.
THE COACH SAYS: The Riders have gone 52-15-1 during McPoyle’s four years as a starter, including 10-4 this season. “He is our go-to player, and he’s the best player on our team,” CR coach Darrell Gravatt said. “He’s having a great year, leading our team in goals, leading our team in assists. We’re as strong as he is.”
THE GOALS: McPoyle is leading the Riders with 25 goals, including four against Sussex Central on Sept. 17 and three several other times. “It just seems to come easily,” he said. “With my speed or with my strength, I do seem to find the back of the net a lot.”
THE ASSISTS: McPoyle also leads the Riders with 14 assists, including two early passes to teammate Galindy Prezeau as the senior netted a hat trick just 16 minutes into the Polytech game. “It’s a great feeling,” McPoyle said. “When I run down the line and slot the ball and someone else scores, it’s just the same as scoring my own goal. Because I see how happy it makes them, and it does the same thing for the team.”
THE EXPERIENCE: “He’s played soccer all his life,” Gravatt said. “He has tremendous skill. Excellent dribbler of the ball. He’s our fastest player, he has the hardest shot on our team, he’s a great free-kick artist, he’s our best header. He’s really our best everything on attack.”
THE CLASSROOM: “I really love music,” McPoyle said. “I play the baritone saxophone. I just love the sound of music, and it’s a challenging class. You’ve got to work on your technique, you’ve got to work on the sound, and you’ve got to work on playing the notes right.”
THE FUTURE: McPoyle plans on studying to become a special education teacher. “I plan on going to hopefully a Division I college, and I want to play soccer,” he said. “I want to get my name out there and just do the best I can.”
Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ