GLEN CARBON – Senior forward Daniel Gierer has eclipsed 13 goals and five assists so far in his senior season for the Father McGivney Catholic High School boys' soccer team.
Arguably his most important goal of the season was the one that took the lead against the Staunton Bulldogs in the Class 1A Regional Finals Friday afternoon in Roxana.
The Bulldogs took the lead in the 16th minute and McGivney tied it back up 12 minutes later. Daniel’s goal came five minutes before halftime to make it 2-1 in a game they went on to win by a score of 4-1. Daniel Gierer is a Byron Carlson Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for McGivney.
“I’m feeling good,” Daniel said after the win Friday afternoon. “I feel like we set out at the beginning of the year to get to regionals and win regionals.”
He’s played a vital role on the team this season after transferring from his original defensive position to now playing up top and being the team’s third-leading goal scorer.
When asked about winning regionals as a senior he said there’s “no better year to do it.”
Now he and the team will face another tough test against the Columbia Eagles (16-6-1). The Eagles and Griffins played in the first game of the season and McGivney lost 6-0.
Daniel said that his team has come a long way since then boasting a 15-7-2 record themselves. It’s going to be tough, but he’s going into it confident.
“We know we can hang with just about anyone,” he said.
That sectional semifinal game will be played tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. at Althoff Catholic High School.
In the spring Daniel also plays baseball. He’s one of the team’s biggest bats and go-to starting pitchers.
