Photo by Kerry Patrick Parkersburg South soccer players Mia Miller (9) and Erin Riesbeck (19) enjoy a light-hearted moment during player introductions prior to the start of the Class AAA West Virginia State High School Championship in Beckley this past season. Tuesday inside the Parkersburg South High School cafeteria, Miller and Riesbeck signed their letter of intent to play soccer for West Liberty University in Wheeling.
PARKERSBURG — Anytime Erin Riesbeck and Mia Miller are the topic of conversation, it’s a package deal.
Since they started playing rec soccer together at the age of 4, where there is one there is the other. They are like members of each other’s families.
Tuesday inside the Parkersburg South High School cafeteria, the link remained intact as both signed to continue their careers on the pitch at NCAA Division II West Liberty University in Wheeling.
“I contacted West Liberty last year and we have been in contact since then,” said Miller, who is the daughter of Craig and Kellie Miller. “I told Erin about them and she thought it would be a perfect fit for her too.”
Both girls started four years on the defensive end of the Patriots’ varsity soccer program. This past season, they joined their teammates in a Class AAA state runner-up finish.
“I got to watch Mia and Erin grow up and develop as soccer players — they have anchored three of our best defenses ever here at the school,” South girls soccer coach Ron Bucholtz said. “Mia with her speed and strong leg, she was taking our free kicks the past three seasons. She kept getting more and more accurate. We knew she had a leg like a howitzer. When her sights were dialed in, most of the time her shots were on frame or needed to be.
“In the past, here comes a 50-yard blast from Mia, but we don’t know where it’s going. She learned how to control her free kicks and that made her even more dangerous.”
According to Bucholtz, Miller was named Defender of the Year as a senior. Even though Riesbeck was not selected to the all-state first team, her coach felt it was an honor well-deserved.
“The role of an outside back is to jump up play offensively and make overlapping runs down the lane, and Erin did that about as well as anybody in the state,” Bucholtz said. “And with her ability to keep the ball at her feet, she was able to turn and leave broken ankles all over the field. Sometimes she would pull off spin moves and think how did she do that.
“Losing both Mia and Erin will be tough to replace, obviously.”
For Miller and Riesbeck, sharing time together with their teammates ranks high on the list of experiences they cherished as Parkersburg South soccer players. Even though the Patriots lost to Morgantown in the state championship, there were no regrets on their part. In fact, playing the semifinals and final along with the off-the-field experiences over the course of two days in Beckley created another set of lasting memories.
“Honestly, we were shocked we made it that far,” Miller said. “In the beginning of the season, we were losing a lot of players. We had a smaller team than other years, so to make it that far was the best thing that could happen to us.”
Both girls chimed in simultaneously, “That weekend was so fun.”
Riesbeck, who is the daughter of Greg and Sandra Riesbeck added, “Our team is so close, it was basically like a girls night out.”
The connection between Miller and Riesbeck goes well beyond travel soccer and playing on the same team for Parkersburg South. Riesbeck, who has been known to sub in as a babysitter for the Miller family, touched on the fact that her parents treat Mia almost like another daughter.
“Mia is basically my sister,” Riesbeck said. “She is like family to me. All of our families and parents know Mia as just another sibling of mine. We started playing soccer when we were like 7.”
When they got settled in for their freshman year at West Liberty, in addition to being roommates they shared the same major. Both plan to enter the nursing field. And who knows, with how these two have become best of friends, perhaps they work in the same medical facility someday.
“Honestly, when we started playing rec soccer, we just clicked,” Miller said. “There are pictures of the two of us always together.”
Miller participated on the Patriot track and field team for the first time as a junior. With her obligations to Club Ohio travel soccer during the spring, she is undecided whether she will return to the track team this year. If she decides to run, she might have a familiar face on the team if her recruiting efforts with Riesbeck pan out.
“When I started at South as a left outside back, I really focused on the defensive aspect of it,” Riesbeck said. “But as I grew confident playing both high school and club, in general I learned that the overlapping runs is a really good add-on.”
“I’m just really excited about going to West Liberty. I love soccer. I’ve played it my whole life. I didn’t want to end my career short when I knew I could go to the next level.”
And even though West Liberty is still conducting a search for a new coach, neither girl changed their mind on their college of choice.
“I wasn’t done with soccer,” Miller said. “I knew I would miss it really bad. I wanted to play at the next level.”
Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]
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