Grant High School senior Stephen Pies will join the Cavaliers in 2009.
PIL Player of the Year Stephen Pies Signs with Concordia Men's Soccer
PORTLAND, Ore.–Grant High School senior striker Stephen Pies has signed to continue his education and play for the Concordia University men’s soccer team, head coach Dan Birkey announced today.
Pies was the Portland Interscholastic League Player of the Year in 2008, helping Grant High School to a 7-0-1 record in PIL play and a 16-2-1 overall record. Pies helped guide the Generals to a 6A state championship last year, earning the Qwest Player of the Game after generating the game-winning goal in a 3-1 win over Westview for the state title. The 5-foot-10 captain was also named first-team all-state following the season.
“Stephen finds ways to win games. His speed and movement are excellent, but his most attractive value is a dogged competitiveness,” Concordia head coach Dan Birkey said. “He has had good coaching and has a mature soccer intelligence that will shine at the national tournament level.”
Pies also competed for the Eastside United Roma club team which advanced to the state final in 2008 and has been a member of the Oregon Olympic Development program since 2003.
“It’s a statement to Stephen’s strength and to his connection to family that he chose to stay close to home,” Birkey said. “He had options to play at a variety of places but to make the decision to be able to stay near those connections speaks volumes about his character and that is one of the many reasons we feel Stephen is a great fit for Concordia.”
Under coach Birkey, who is in his 21st season, Concordia finished the 2008 season with a 14-6-2 record en route to winning their eighth straight Cascade Collegiate Conference championship. The Cavaliers earned a berth into the NAIA Championships and advanced to the quarterfinals with a penalty-kick win over No. 9 Concordia (Calif.) in the opening round of the NAIA Tournament. In the round of 16, No. 8 Hastings defeated Concordia 1-0 to end the Cavalier run.