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Jake Gurtis is a grinder.
The senior has done it all this season. Literally.
A single word is listed for Gurtis’ position on the Wyoming Valley West boys soccer team’s roster next to his name: All.
The fact that Gurtis was involved on three of the six goals in Wyoming Valley West’s 6-0 victory over Hazleton Area on Wednesday, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to Spartans head coach Charlie Whited.
“His versatility is huge,” Whited said. “I’m real happy for Jake that he got an opportunity to put a couple of balls in.”
Gurtis prides himself on being the Spartans’ Swiss Army Knife.
His position flexibility allows Whited to move him around depending on the opponent or the play of the game, like Wednesday. Gurtis started the match at center midfielder but ended up shifting down to the forward position.
“Whatever position I’m put it, I’m going to give it my all,” Gurtis add. “When I started off playing soccer I was always a defender and then when I started getting older I was more of a midfielder. I really kind of just kept those attributes as I’ve grown up into a high school player, and my coach knows — he knows — I’m able to play where ever he needs me. That’s really it.”
In a season that Wyoming Valley West has often struggled to score, averaging three goals a game in nine contests, Gurtis has been a bright spot.
The senior playmaker leads the team in points this season, with 15, and ranks ninth in Division 1.
“Senior year’s great,” Gurtis said. “If we’re playing a better team, I’ll play more defense. If we’re playing, maybe, a weaker team, I’ll go on top and score a couple goals. Whatever I can do to help my team win, that’s really what I’m going to do — just the best I can. I know my teammates, they look up to the captains — (to) be leaders. I’m going to do whatever’s best for the team.”
However, Gurtis’ success hasn’t came easy this season either.
After playing last year with a knee brace, the captain experienced some muscle soreness in his knee Wednesday when the Spartans were playing their third game in three days.
Gurtis was having trouble moving in the victory , and often played with a limp. But that hasn’t stopped him from finding a way to lead his team.
He still scored two goals and finished with seven shots in the 6-0 victory.
“Even if I’m sore or anything, I’m still going to come out here and play for my teammates out here,” Gurtis said. “I’m going to give them 100 percent every single time and play through the pain. That’s all it is because I know they’re going to do the same fore me.”
Even though his Spartans sit in the middle of the Division 1 standings, Gurtis is still striving to find the success his team did when he was a sophomore — the year Wyoming Valley West defeated Williamsport in the district championship.
After being eliminated by Dallas on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals last season, Gurtis wants to end his senior campaign on a high note.
“Our team knows what we’re capable of,” Gurtis said. “We know we can go out there and compete against any of these teams out here. We’re just looking to do that every game and play our best.
“PKs are always a hard way to lose, especially in districts,”he continued. “That’s definitely in the back of our minds coming into districts this year, just that fire to keep us going.”