BOYS SOCCER: Male Athlete of the Week, Fannett-Metal's Mikell McGee is piling up the goals
Last season he reincarnated a struggling Fannett-Metal boys soccer team from an 0-7 start in late September. This season, the healthy forward is leading his team with numbers and goal streaks you have to see to believe.
Mikell McGee's performance in F-M's important win over McConnellsburg on Friday enabled his team to tie the Spartans for first place in the Sideline Hill League. In the game, he scored the tying goal and an insurance tally. He then followed it with a seven-goal performance against Cumberland Valley Christian less than 24 hours later.
McGee is the Public Opinion Male Athlete of the Week.
The Fannett-Metal forward had 16 goals and three assists in 2014 after missing the first month of the season with a broken ankle. Now more than halfway through his junior season, McGee has 28 goals and 12 assists, thanks to five multi-goal games, including an unbelievable scoring streak in which he's scored 12 goals in the last two games.
"It was tough coming in halfway through the season (last year) and trying to find a place, but I have a lot of confidence this year," McGee said.
Despite his two most recent multi-goal games, in which he scored seven goals against CVC, and then five against Forbes Road just two days later, McGee cites the team's win over McConnellsburg as his favorite "soccer moment."
"It was great to get a win against a great team like McConnellsburg," he said. "They've had a great season ... and it was great to knock them off, for sure. It's a big rivalry game and any win in any sport against them is huge."
The Tigers' win over McConnellsburg tied them for first place in the SHL with three games left in the regular season. McGee scored the game-tying goal against McConnellsburg on a penalty kick, something that the team had practiced the day before.
"When the call was made, Layton (Hoffmann) even nodded for McGee to take it," FM coach Greg Best said. "He had some confidence in taking it and making it. He has a knack for finishing, and you can't teach that."
Since then, the team has out-scored opponents 17-1 to extend its nine-game winning streak.
Twelve of those goals came from McGee, mostly on fast breaks created by midfielders and defenders.
"I think every team needs someone to step up in those kinds of situations," McGee said. "I try to be that person."
mIKELL McGee, FANNETT-METAL
Sport: Boys soccer
Grade: Junior
Position: Forward
Other interests: He likes to hunt and fish at home. He hunts with both a bow and a rifle on his family's land.
Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan.
3 people he'd like to have dinner with: Jordan, Derek Jeter and Pele.
Statistics: McGee has led the Tigers in scoring this season with 28 goals and 12 assists, thanks to five multi-goal games, including two solo hat tricks and one "double-hat trick" in which he scored more than six goals in one game.