Throughout the summer, several current and former members of the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team have been sharpening their skills with the Wheeling Highlanders of the Ohio Valley Premiere League (OVPL). All their hard work paid off this past weekend when the Highlanders defeated FC Elite this past Saturday as they were crowned OVPL Valley Conference Champions in just their second year of existence. In total, two current Wheeling University Cardinals and three former Cardinals are on the roster, while former Wheeling Graduate Assistant Ryan Wall and Wheeling University alum Greg Martin help coach the group.
The Highlanders finished the regular season with a record of 8-2 and have gotten big contributions from the Cardinals on the roster. Leading the way is Richard Afolayanka, who in just 10 games played with the Highlanders this season has 15 goals. He ranks second in the OVPL with 15 goals and second in total points scored with 29. Afolayanka had a career year for the Cardinals in 2021, leading the way with seven goals on the year and finished in a tie for 10th in the conference in goals scored. He looks to continue to be a threat on offense for the Cardinals and take his game to the next level as the Fall season comes around.
Another Cardinal making big contributions for the Highlanders in the midfield is TJ Cherry, who just wrapped up his first season in a Cardinal's uniform. Cherry scored one of the key goals in the Highlanders Valley Conference Championship win and has been a strong presence on the defensive side of the ball Cherry played in all 16 games for the Cardinals this past season, starting 15 of them, as a midfielder. He has yet to score his first collegiate goal but did notch two assists last season while taking 11 shots. The freshman played a big role in setting up the Cardinals offense last season and, after a summer of working with the team's top scorer, looks for more setup chances this season.
Joining Cherry and Afolayanka on the squad were former Cardinals Miguel Martin, Carlos Molina, and Salem Mwelwa who have all made contributions to Wheeling over the past couple of seasons. Highlanders Head Coach Ryan Wall is proud of his entire team and especially thanks the contributions of some of Wheeling's top stars.
"We have five players that are either current or former Cardinals that have played for us this season," said Wall. "Carlos Molina and Miguel Martin haven't played much due to injuries but have been ever so present at training. (TJ) Cherry has been a key defender and even scored a crucial goal to help clinch the Valley Conference title this past weekend. As did Richard Afolayanka, who leads the conference in scoring with 15 goals in just 10 games played. Also, Salem Mwelwa has been a great contributor to the Highlanders midfield."
Not only is their Cardinal experience on the field for the Highlanders, but on the sidelines as well. Wall served as a Graduate Assistant under legendary Head Men's Soccer Coach Jim Regan for three seasons and helped lead the Cardinals to a 46-14-4 record during his time. The Cardinals won three West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) titles and had their second-best season in program history when they went 17-4-1 during the 2001 season. Wall also spent time in the university's admissions department while on campus to help recruit students to continue Wheeling's soccer tradition.
Assisting Wall is Wheeling alum Greg Martin, who was a four-year starting goalkeeper for the Cardinals. He earned two WVIAC championships during his playing career and was the starting goalkeeper for the team's trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Championship tournament back in 2000. He currently serves as the Head Boys soccer coach at nearby Linsly High School and is helping Wheeling college players as they continue their development this off-season.
The Wheeling Highlanders will be playing for the OVPL Championship this coming Saturday when they take on the Fort Wayne Sports Club at Kelly Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 PM.
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