by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
ASHVILLE — Helping his team to a 13-win season and a second-place finish in the league helped Teays Valley goalkeeper Derek Yarnell win the inaugural Mark Anderson Award as Pickaway County’s top senior boys soccer player.
“Derek is one that every team wants. He’s kind of a silent leader if you will,” TV coach Shane Harber said. “He’s been a staple for us the past two years back there in the goal.
“He was called upon in his sophomore year to step up in a tournament game and start in goal for us, which was a big shock to him when I told him. He took that and kind of made it his own from there.”
From that 1-0 loss to Central Crossing as a sophomore, Yarnell has helped the Vikings secure 24 wins in the last two seasons.
“It’s definitely difficult,” Yarnell said of being the last line of defense in a game. “I can’t thank enough my teammates and coaches; I do tend to have a little bit of a hot head when it comes to certain times. They always do a great job encouraging me, always having my back – whenever I let one in, there’s one of my defensemen or midfielders patting me on the back and telling me I’ve got them next time.
“It’s been a real brotherhood and that’s something I can’t thank this program enough for over my four years.”
“That’s been Derek’s biggest growth is to handle that pressure and, when it did happen, be able to rally from it and not make it the crushing blow,” Harber said “They were a unit back there and played great.”
In his senior season, the Vikings posted a 13-3-1 record, Yarnell recorded 57 saves and was named All-Pickaway County and Second Team All-MSL.
“We started off this season a little bit rougher than we wanted at 1-1-1. After that we went on an eight-game winning streak, which actually tied our school record,” Yarnell said. “We also beat Bloom-Carroll for the first time in 10 years and they’ve been a rival of our program for the longest time.
“I can’t be more proud of the team we have in front of me. A big shout-out to Drew Moore, Levi Suhayda, Bryce Alloy and Bryton McFarland – they’ve done a really nice job helping me as my defensive four. I also want to give a shoutout to Max (Spencer) and Gavin (Waters) who’ve been our strikers. Whenever I let one in, they’re always putting two more in.
“It’s been great having those guys and I’m really excited to see what these guys do next year when they move to the OCC, and I can’t wait to see them go out and be even better than they were this year.”
The award is named for Mark Anderson, a Circleville High School graduate who scored the very first varsity soccer goal in Pickaway County history in 1982.
“It’s great that his name is the inaugural one on the trophy, and we get to hold it here at Teays Valley for the first year,” Harber said.
“It’s amazing,” Yarnell said. “That award, even though it’s going to me, I know it’s also representative of the entire team and what we’ve been able to accomplish this year.”
The winner of the Mark Anderson Award and the inaugural Brad Morris All-Pickaway County soccer teams were selected by the Pickaway County high school soccer coaches.
Along with a plaque that Yarnell will be able to keep, a new traveling trophy has been created which will is on display in the main trophy case at Teays Valley High School until next season when it will go to the high school of the next winner.
