PIASA - Steve Mitchell, who coached the Marquette Catholic girls soccer team to two third-place finishes in 2013 and 2016 in Class 1A, has been appointed the boys and girls soccer coach at Piasa Southwestern High, starting with the boys' season this fall.
Mitchell will take over the girls' program from Tyler Hamilton while reviving the boys' soccer program, which didn't field a team in the 2022 season. The Piasa Birds girls' team went 11-6-1 last season, winning the South Central Conference crown with a perfect 8-0-0 mark, but lost in a penalty shootout in the Class 1A regional to Litchfield 3-2 after drawing 6-6 in the match.
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"I'm excited to get back into coaching," Mitchell said in an E-mail message. "It's been a while, but I missed the game. I just want to help kids succeed in any way I can."
Mitchell had a record of 97-42-9 in five seasons with the Explorers, his best season being in 2013, when Marquette went 21-5-1 in finishing third. The Explorers went 15-10-3 in 2016, also finishing third in the state tournament. Mitchell stepped down after the 2017 season to spend more time with his family.
"I had a good career at Alton Marquette," Mitchell said, "with many good players and parents. I'm excited for a new challenge."
The Birds have not fielded a boys' soccer team since 2019 when Southwestern went 1-5-2. The girls have enjoyed success, winning the Class 1A regional in 2022.
The season is set to begin in August.
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