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2015 Times Leader Boys Soccer All-Stars

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Former Cincinnati Bengal, Bruce Kozerski makes golden return to Coughlin H.S.

<p>Take a look at all the time and dedication Mike Bazadona put in to excel at soccer.</p><p>Then look at all the people who helped him succeed.</p><p>It&#8217;s the perfect recipe that made the Wyoming Valley West senior the Times Leader boys soccer Player of the Year.</p><p>Bazadona had a terrific season for the Spartans, leading them to their first District 2 Class 3A championship since 2009 as he piled 37 goals and 85 points in the regular season.</p><p>While he made it look easy, it wasn&#8217;t always for him and his biggest inspirations &#8212; his parents, Mike and Kim.</p><p>Bazadona started playing the sport he loves as the age of 4 when his father signed him up. It was then that he fell in love with the game, constantly improving.</p><p>In order to keep improving, Bazadona joined the Lehigh Valley United team. That certainly helped him excel even more, but it became taxing. He and his parents would travel all over the country going to tournaments &#8212; the shortest trip was still an hour drive.</p><p>&#8220;I think of all the time I put in to train to be in the spot I am at today and all the people who came to me and motivated me to be the player who I am today,&#8221; Bazadona said. &#8220;My parents, Mike and Kim, they would go out of their way to help me, train me, push me.&#8221;</p><p>Bazadona also gave credit to his coach, Charlie Whited, at Wyoming Valley West, and club coach Rob Havard, who also coaches Coughlin.</p><p>Everyone who played a part in his success should be overwhelmed since Bazadona had a tremendous season and career with Valley West.</p><p>His senior season was the best of his four as he and his teammates set out a goal to win a district title and did just that losing just three times all season.</p><p>Along the road, the Spartans ran into a bit of a slump when they lost consecutive games to Lake-Lehman and Havard&#8217;s Crusaders.</p><p>That brief slide, however, was a blessing in disguise.</p><p>&#8220;I guess I can say those two losses, they actually helped out our team,&#8221; Bazadona said. &#8220;We wanted to remember that feeling at districts so that didn&#8217;t happen at districts.&#8221;</p><p>After those two losses, the Spartans reeled off eight straight victories en route to the district title, which included a 4-0 win over Williamsport to claim the gold medal.</p><p>&#8220;It means a lot to me. I told my coach that in my four years I&#8217;d win him a district championship, and that&#8217;s what me and my teammates did,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That was my main goal. Me and my teammates, they all gave it 120 percent because they didn&#8217;t want it to end not knowing what it was like to win a district championship.&#8221;</p><p>Bazadona plans on attending college, majoring in business and playing soccer at a school to be determined.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Mike Bazadona claimed the Times Leader boys soccer Player of the Year honors for this past season, scoring 37 goals and 85 points. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122615BSocMVP1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Mike Bazadona claimed the Times Leader boys soccer Player of the Year honors for this past season, scoring 37 goals and 85 points. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122615BSocMVP2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Mike Bazadona is the Times Leader&#8217;s boys soccer MVP. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122615BSocMVP2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Mike Bazadona is the Times Leader&#8217;s boys soccer MVP. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dave Rosengrant</p><p>drosengrant@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Bazadona&#8217;s Bio</strong></p><p>Selected as All-State, Mike Bazadona led the WVC in goals this season with 37 and tied for the league lead with 85 points in the regular season in helping Wyoming Valley West to its second straight division title, and their first District 2 Class 3A championship since 2009. In a brilliant career, Bazadona tallied more than 60 goals and over 150 points in four years playing with the Spartans.</p></factboxMeta></div>

2015 Times Leader Boys Soccer Player of the Year Mike Bazadona ends brilliant career