Durso and Roberts have Western Wayne boys soccer team off to a fast start in league action

VARDEN — Western Wayne put together a solid season last fall in Lackawanna League boys soccer action.

Under the direction of longtime coach Matt Fitzsimmons, the Wildcats posted a 6-6-0 record, finished third in the Division II standings, and earned an invitation to the District 2 tournament.

This year, though, the 'Cats are looking to carve out a spot for themselves among the area's truly elite programs.

“We have just about everybody back, so I think we can definitely challenge for a division title,” said Fitzsimmons just minutes before the start of an early season showdown on the road at archrival Honesdale.

“If we keep working hard and stay healthy, I think we can compete with just about anybody. We have a pretty explosive offense.”

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Prophetic words

That explosive offense was on full display right from Tuesday's opening whistle.

Senior co-captains Timmy Roberts and Mikey Durso led the way, peppering Honesdale's net with a withering barrage of shots.

By the time the first half came to a close, the visiting Wildcats had built an insurmountable 6-1 lead en route to an eventual 7-2 victory.

“I'm extremely pleased with how the boys played today,” Fitzsimmons said. “You never know this early in the season what you have. So, it was great to see us score some quick goals and build a nice lead.”

Western Wayne is now 2-0-0 on the young season. The 'Cats opened with an 8-1 throttling of Blue Ridge and have now outscored their opponents by a margin of 15-3.

Next on the agenda is a home match versus Mid Valley. Weather permitting, that contest is slated for a 6 p.m. start on the turf at Sharkey Rosetti Memorial Stadium.

“I was a little nervous after our two scrimmages,” Fitzsimmons said. “Things are better now though. We're starting to play like the team I know we're capable of being.”

Three-headed monster

Western Wayne wasted no time in taking control of the match at Honesdale.

The Wildcats struck early and often, hammering home six goals almost before Hornet fans had even settled into their seats.

Durso struck first, finding the back of the net off a Joey Tickner assist just 2:54 into the match.

A multi-sport standout who also excels on the baseball diamond, Durso is coming off a junior season in which he scored 13 goals and handed out 12 assists.

He opened up his senior campaign with a goal and assist in the win over Blue Ridge, which was just a hint of what was in store for Honesdale on Tuesday.

Durso had himself a hat trick before halftime and finished out the day with four goals.

“I'm very happy with how the game went,” he said afterward. “I think we played really well as a team. We passed well, kept up constant pressure on offense and held them down on defense.”

Roberts also proved to be a thorn in Honesdale's side on this particular day.

A two-year captain who tallied 11 goals and six assists last fall, Roberts is also an outstanding student and a member of the National Honor Society.

He scored twice and dished out one assist in the win over Blue Ridge, then kept the momentum going versus Honesdale.

Roberts notched his first goal on Tuesday at the 17:06 mark courtesy of a Braden Laity assist. By halftime, he'd joined Durso in the Hat Trick Club, finishing with three goals and a pair of assists.

“We came out wanting a win badly and got the job done,” Roberts said. “Our communication and intensity really helped us win the ball. As a team, we passed well and set up opportunities to score.”

Jacob Wells also made his presence felt, recording an assist on Durso's third goal of the match. Wells is a talented junior who led the Wildcats with 24 goals last season.

“We really do have a three-headed monster out there,” Fitzsimmons said. “Timmy, Mikey and Jacob are all capable of taking over a game on any given night. Any one of them can carry our offense.”

Ambitious goals

Western Wayne players and coaches have set some ambitions goals for the 2024 soccer season.

The Wildcats compete in Division II against the likes of Dunmore, Mountain View, Lakeland, West Scranton, Mid Valley and Gregory the Great. There are very few easy games on the schedule his fall.

“We definitely can't take anything for granted,” said Fitzsimmons. “There are some very good teams in our league. We need to stay focused and take things one day at a time.”

For his part, Durso believes that many years of playing together as a unit gives the Wildcats a built-in advantage.

“I'm very excited to see what we can accomplish this year as a team,” he said. “A lot of us have been playing together so long that we have really great chemistry. I'm hoping that we can possibly win a district title.”

Roberts concurs.

“I'm very satisfied with a big win over Honesdale,” he said. “But the job's not finished yet. We have a lot more we want to accomplish this season.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Durso and Roberts have Western Wayne boys soccer team off to a fast start in league action