Through the season’s first two weeks, very few players have managed to score on Shawnee boys’ soccer goalkeeper senior Dalton Wu.
Wu, a third-year starter, has been key in helping the Renegades to a 4–0 start to the season. In the team’s first four games, Wu made 35 saves on 37 shots and recorded two shutouts.
Shawnee head coach Ryan Franks feels Wu has made a number of contributions to the team. Wu’s impact was felt right away in the team’s first game of the season against Eastern on Sept. 12, which Shawnee won, 1–0. Wu made five saves, with a few coming down the stretch in the second half.
“We don’t win that game without him making the big saves he did,” Franks said. “Some of them were spectacular, highlight-reel saves.”
Coming through in the clutch has been a calling card for Wu since he was a sophomore. In 2013, Wu made a couple big saves during a penalty shootout against Rancocas Valley in the first round of South Jersey Group IV playoffs. Shawnee, seeded 13th, upset №4 Rancocas Valley and would advance to the semifinals.
“That sophomore year game was a big one,” Franks said. “He made a couple big saves and it got everyone else going.”
Wu said the key to performing in pressure situations is simply staying focused and not lingering on mistakes. He proved this in last Tuesday’s game against Camden Catholic. After allowing a goal early in the first half, Wu settled down, making a number of key saves late in the second half and kept the Fighting Irish off the scoreboard as Shawnee came from behind for a 2–1 victory.
“You have to develop a short memory and let (the goals) go,” Wu said.
Wu’s contributions to the team have gone beyond making saves this year. Wu’s teammates voted him as one of the captains for this season. Franks feels Wu has grown immensely as a leader during his high school career.
“I remember one of the first games as a freshman was a scrimmage,” Franks said. “He let in a soft goal and he was down on himself after. You could tell it wore on him. Sophomore year, he grew a bit of confidence. Last year, he started talking more and being a leader on the field.”
Wu said he has focused on directing the defense and building a rapport with the team’s backs this season.
“Coach Franks stresses defensive shape, organizing and communicating,” Wu said. “We’re trying to make that one of our staples this year.”
“They have to create some chemistry with each other,” Franks said. “Dalton’s the one who’s orchestrating that back there. It makes his job easier if everyone is organized.”
Wu feels the 2015 Shawnee boys’ soccer team may be the strongest since he’s been on varsity. Last year, the team finished 7–9–4 and was eliminated in the first round of the South Jersey Group IV playoffs.
“We’re a lot tighter, we’re a lot more like a family as opposed to last year,” Wu said. “I feel like we have some good leadership.”
The Renegades hope their early season success will continue as the season moves into October. Wu is excited about the team’s prospects and knows if he keeps playing like he has in the season’s first two weeks, Shawnee could be playing well into the postseason this year.
“I’m just trying to do the best I can to keep the ball out of the net,” Wu said. “I just take one shot at a time, trying to be solid and get my team organized.”
