MORGANTOWN – Entering the 2024 high school soccer season, Morgantown High School boys’ head coach Sam Snyder was looking to fill a void on the defensive line after graduating a handful of impactful players after 2023.
He didn’t need to search for too long, as MHS senior Ayden Shepard answered the call and decided to lace up his soccer boots for the first time since he was younger.
A member of the MHS boys’ lacrosse team and the Morgantown Mohawks hockey team, Shepard brings an element of toughness and leadership that Snyder says his team was searching for coming into the campaign.
Now, with the 2024 season entering its final few weeks, it’s clear that Shepard has not only brought the two things he needed to bring to the squad, but he has also been better than advertised at the center back position as a part of the defense.
“Shepard brings us a dynamic cover with his defending and ability to play the ball forward after winning it, and he’s a threat in the air for us around the goal,” Snyder said. “He’s also picked up a good sense of filing space where he needs to around the goal. We are a team that wants to earn set pieces and then capitalize from them, and he helps us there.”
Ayden did just that on Tuesday night against visiting Parkersburg (4-9-5). Ten minutes into the contest, he provided the game’s opening goal with a header from a corner kick. He then helped the Mohigans to a clean sheet and a 6-0 win.
The Mohigans (13-2-3) also saw goals from seniors Alex Gonalez-Tanon, Riley Brabson, and junior Ray Hanif. Brabson provided two goals and an assist, while Hanif added two of his own.
Snyder says Shepard has surprised him with his quality at different points throughout the season, and Ayden admits he didn’t expect himself to play at the level he has so far either.
“Coach Snyder and I talked before the season about me filling a role on the team, and to be honest, I didn’t expect myself to play the way I have,” he said. “My coaches and teammates have all been great in helping me in practice to understand what I need to do come game time.”
Although he played as a younger child, the quality of the game has undoubtedly changed from the time he played in youth league to now, playing in Class AAA in West Virginia.
Ayden says he didn’t struggle too much with the learning curve of having to play up to standard technically while also learning the ins and outs of soccer and his position in the defense.
“I play defense in hockey mostly, and that allows me to see everything going on in front of me,” he said. “That translates in soccer, and it is similar, so I would say it was more difficult getting used to technical things like having the ball at my feet and getting my timing down.”
MHS will return home on Thursday night against Robert C. Byrd for Senior Night beginning at 6:00 p.m. before finishing out the regular season on Tuesday, Oct 22, against Brooke.
“As a team, we need to communicate better and be more connected defensively,” Shepard said. “We are good at winning the ball and getting the situations we want, then it’s about taking advantage of those situations.”
