While playing center-back, Liam MacDonald showed his prowess on set pieces while leading Steinert’s boys soccer team with 10 goals as a senior in 2021.
He figured that was his high-water mark as an offensive star.
MacDonald had no illusions of grandeur that he would become a goal-scoring dynamo in college. He arrived at Division III DeSales University as a defender, where he played most of his career. He moved from center-back to defensive midfielder, earning honorable mention Middle Athletic Conference Freedom honors both years while scoring a total of nine goals.
Last fall, coach George Crampton pushed MacDonald up to attacking midfielder, his first offensive role since playing striker as a Steinert sophomore (and scoring six goals).
Score one for the coach.
MacDonald promptly became DeSales’ leading scorer with 13 goals and 28 points, helping the Bulldogs to the MAC Freedom championship game.
For his efforts, he was named MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Year and was first-team All-MAC Freedom.
No one was more surprised than the player himself.
“It’s honestly so surreal,” MacDonald said. “It was definitely a shocker. I didn’t have this on my bingo card for my soccer career. It’s honestly one of the best experiences I’ll ever have and it’s great to do it with the people I’m with. My teammates and coaches set me up for success.”
The position switch was made after DeSales had a poor pre-season effort against Moravian. In the next scrimmage with Susquehanna, the Bulldogs lost but looked markedly better.
“Our team had a solid defense; I played defensive midfield against Moravian and the game didn’t go our way,” MacDonald said. “We have very solid strikers, but our coach just wanted to try something different. Susquehanna was the first time I played that attacking position (in college).
“Our team ended up playing well together, so we decided to go into the regular season playing with that formation. I just started off very well, that lineup stuck and the team did a lot better than expected.”
MacDonald scored twice on opening and day and went on to find the back of the net in 10 of 20 games. His goals came the same way as in high school, on a lot of restarts and corner kicks. At 6-foot-4 he can elevate.
“Liam is so dangerous in the air and off set plays,” said Crampton, a Junior College All-American who played on Mercer County Community College’s 1991 national championship team. “For a big lad he has good agility and has a nose for the goal. To be fair to him, he trained very hard on his first touches and finishing in the off-season last year.”
One of MacDonald’s strengths is that he knows his limitations, and won’t try to do more than he is capable of in the attacking third.
“I’d rather get the ball to my skill people and get in the right position,” he said. “I have had a few dribbles but I wouldn’t say that’s my best attribute. I definitely think a lot of my teammates are better on the ball than me and I’d rather give them the ball and get in the right spot for them.”
When they get it back to them, he knows what to do.
“(Scoring) is something I’ve always had a real desire for,” MacDonald said. “I’ve always been decently taller than everyone. I’ve always thought that’s my advantage over people.
“My wingers were very good. Working with them up front was one of our strengths, and I guess just being in the right place at the right time. I couldn’t explain half the goals.”
Crampton, who is assisted by another former MCCC star in John O’Rourke, isn’t asking for his rising senior to explain them. He just wants him to score them.
And while the coach won’t tip his hand as to what he has planned for MacDonald this season, he optimistically predicted: “We expect Liam to go from Regional All-American to a National All American this year.”
Not surprisingly, MacDonald took heart in his coach’s words.
“That makes me feel really happy,” he said. “The work I put in is finally starting to pay off. I’m just really happy to do it with the team and for the coach I have. I don’t really have any worries. I’m just gonna play and do my best, not even think about anything like (All-American). I’ll just think about the team and getting into conference finals. I think if we play to our best ability we can make it as far as we can imagine.”
MacDonald comes from a soccer family. His dad, Andrew, played while growing up in London. His late grandfather and late uncle, both named Frank Walter, starred for the GAK.
“My dad played overseas when he was younger and when he came over here he was just a very big soccer fan,” MacDonald said. “He watched me as a young kid and inspired me to play a lot. When choosing a sport it was very clear I wanted to play soccer. Throughout the years my uncle and grandfather taught me a lot of great things.”
Liam began playing travel ball with the Hibernians at age 9. His team remained intact and moved to the GAK. He played some striker for the German Americans, but was predominantly a center-back. MacDonald eventually landed with PDA, where he played with Florence High grad Kevin Krall.
The two developed a strong friendship and, after both received several college offers, they decided to attend DeSales together.
“I went as a roommate with Kevin, so that helped with the decision,” MacDonald said. “I really liked the coaching staff. I thought George Crampton was a very nice guy. My family has known John O’Rourke for a while, he’ always been very nice to my family.”
MacDonald won a starting job at center back as a freshman, as he adjusted quickly to the college game.
“It took me a game or two,” he said. “I specifically remember my first two regular-season games of college, we were in upstate New York and we played Clarkson and Plattsburgh. I remember being, even for my height, undersized and having to adjust to the fast pace of it. Once I realized I was good enough to play with these guys I settled in and played my game.”
Every school recruited MacDonald as a defender. And while he had a comfort level playing in the back, he had no problem when Crampton moved him up.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing defense, taking the ball away, controlling the game,” he said. “But nothing beats scoring. So I’m having a fun time up front. I get to play a different style than I’m used to my entire life. So it’s some new experiences.”
MacDonald is joined on the roster by another Steinert grad in Liam Gardiner, a sophomore defender looking for playing time. Crampton was non-committal on Gardiner’s future.
“Those who perform get playing time but you are only as good as your last game,” he said. “Liam Gardiner has the ability to be a starter but it’s up to him.”
MacDonald goes way back with the Gardiners, as he was high school teammates with Aiden and has known their father Shawn “forever.”
So, does MacDonald think Gardiner will earn playing time?
“A hundred percent,” he said. “That kid has a lot of potential. He’s a very hard worker. I have no worries of his abilities to get where he wants to go.”
Once his soccer career ends, MacDonald knows exactly where he wants to go. As someone who enjoys aiding others, he has served as a director for the Bulldog soccer team’s 7-v-7 and 5-v-5 Special Olympics soccer tournament.
He wants to assist on a nation-wide level after graduation, as the goal is to work with Homeland Security.
“I really took interest in criminal justice and Homeland Security presentations,” he said. “The Homeland Security program at our school is really good, I’ve only heard high praises and I was interested in going the federal government route.
“I’ve always wanted to do more than just policing. I’ve always had an interest in ICE, FBI, CIA, FEMA. Anything like that just really attracts me. If I can help people out and make a living off it, that’s ideally what I want to do with my life.”
For now, however, his focus is on taking DeSales as far as possible. He reports to preseason camp in mid-August as the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.
An honor he never thought possible; but one he will certainly cherish.
Steinert grad Liam MacDonald in action for DeSales University. (Photo provided by DeSales University.),
