CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A teenage soccer player from Ontario, who has family connections to Prince Edward Island, is going to play for the UPEI Panthers.
Scott Davis, 18, has committed to the Panthers beginning in the 2021 Atlantic University Sport season. His maternal grandparents, Gloria Sencabaugh and Angus Moore, were born and raised on the Island – making the decision to commit to the Lewis Page-coached Panthers an easy one for Davis.
“UPEI has always been a dream school of mine, even over top Ontario universities,” said Davis. “When I received an offer from coach Page, it was a dream come true. They’re giving me the opportunity to play the game I love at an amazing university while receiving a fantastic education.”
Page said Scott, a holding mid-fielder, loves the province, having visited his grandparents while growing up.
“We spoke on the phone, and he described his playing environment and training habits, and we thought he’d be a good fit,” Page said.
“His experience will help him compete right away in training camp. His physical attributes – Scott is six feet tall – will complement our squad as well as we’ve looked to add some height to the team in the last few years.”
Davis emerged as a leader and a top-tier talent at Crestwood Secondary School in Peterborough. He captained the Mustangs and help guide them to second-place finishes in the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association finals on two occasions.
He spent several years refining his skills in the Central Soccer League, where he developed into a reliable defender. In 2019, his coach recommended he try out for Peterborough’s under-21 team. It was a longshot for the 16-year-old, but he made the team and excelled.
“Joining an under-21 team at 16 helped me learn how to adapt to new positions,” Davis explained. “When I first joined, I hadn’t yet proven myself, so I wasn’t playing my preferred position. This made me very versatile, and now I can play almost anywhere on the field.”
Page said more player commitment announcements are expected in the coming weeks as the team continues to build for the 2021 fall season.
“We’ve had a good recruiting year so far and we’re excited about adding the new players to the current crop.”
