The multi-talented
Keith Rycek

By Joe Mason
For the Times

Keith Rycek is very good with numbers.
Rycek, a senior at Franklin Towne Charter, ranks third in his senior class. Much of that can be attributed to strong grades in his two favorite classes, physics and calculus.
"Those things come easy to me," Rycek said. "I’ve always been good at those kinds of subjects. For some reason, I just get them, I’m pretty good at them."
Rycek might be good with numbers but it doesn’t take a genius to understand why his Franklin Towne Charter soccer team is doing extremely well.
The Coyotes have been successful because of the number 0.
Rycek opened the season as an outside defender. Franklin Towne Charter coach Casey Huckel, however, recently moved him to sweeper.
Since then, the Coyotes have won all three games — the last two by shutouts.
The math here is very basic. When the other team doesn’t score, you can’t lose.
"Yeah, we’ve been playing really well on defense," Rycek said. "It’s a team effort, not just me.
"I actually like my other position better, but it just works out better this way," Rycek added. "I’m pretty fast and I’m pretty good at getting the ball out."
The 5-foot-10, 150-pounder has played big in big situations, and that’s what the Coyotes need if they hope to repeat their recent success.
"Keith is very fast and he’s got great knowledge of the game," said Huckel, who has guided the Coyotes to the Public League playoffs in each of his three seasons as head coach. "He’s good for a lot of reasons. He’s very steady back there, and you need your sweeper to be a good leader. He’s a very good leader."
Though Rycek enjoys soccer, his favorite sport is baseball. He excelled last year as an outfielder and was named second-team All-Public.
Next year he hopes to continue his career on the baseball diamond. But this year he wants to keep the Coyotes’ soccer team headed in the right direction.
Franklin Towne Charter’s soccer squad has reached at least the quarterfinals throughout the past three seasons. Twice the team has made the semifinals.
In doing so, the Coyotes have qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Class AA playoffs.
This year, the goal is to go all the way to the championship.
"This is, in my opinion, the best team," Huckel said. "These guys have been around the team for a while, so they know what’s going on. They know how to win; they know what’s expected."
"We’ve been good before, but this is the best team," Rycek said. "I got here in the second year of varsity soccer and we’ve been pretty good. It is kind of cool to be part of it while it’s building."
Rycek also is gearing up for next year, when he’ll be off to college.
He knows he wants to major in engineering and he’s hoping to continue his baseball career.
Right now, he’s keeping his options open. Drexel is in the mix, but Temple University just might be the perfect fit.
"I like Drexel, but they don’t have a baseball team," Rycek said. "I’d play soccer there — maybe walk on — but I really want to play baseball." ••
Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com