Two bright Saint Ignatius seniors have earned more hardware.
In addition to hoisting the 2019 OHSAA Division I State Championship trophy, Matthew McLaughlin and Kyle Folds will receive First-Team All-Ohio honors.
The seniors end their Saint Ignatius careers as two of the best players to wear the blue and gold in recent memory.
McLaughlin now holds the Saint Ignatius career assist record with a whopping 48 assists. He also finishes his career with an impressive 54 goals. The son of Head Coach Mike McLaughlin '85, Matthew finished the year with 18 goals and 15 assists, playing in every game this season. McLaughlin was an Ironman, who worked as hard as anyone and always seemed to play a huge role.
McLaughlin wore the #34 for two years with dignity, representing the ideal of a student-athlete that the late Jim Skerl '74 embodied when he wore the number.
"I'm proud of Matthew and what he did all four years," said Coach McLaughlin. "To be the all-time career assist leader is incredible, and he scored 50 goals in his career, so he's in the top five all-time in that category, too. I'm proud to have a son in this storied program, and I'm proud that he's left a wonderful mark on the program."
Folds served as a key force in the middle for the Wildcats. Playing nearly every spot on the field, Folds launched 10 goals and tallied 4 assists on the season. For his career, Folds finishes with 27 goals and 9 assists. A huge physical presence with a soft touch, Folds proved critical to the playoff push for the Wildcats, as few can play with as much physicality and skill as Folds.
A team captain his senior season, Folds is the kind of hard-nosed, smart player that every coach loves to have.
"Kyle is a special kind of player," said McLaughlin. "His physicality, foot skills, and soccer IQ are unmatched. His contributions to the program have been unmatched, as well. We're going to miss him."
You'll see both men at the next level. McLaughlin has committed to Notre Dame, and Folds has accepted an offer to Indiana. Both are signing National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
A few Wildcats were noticeably absent from the All-Ogio list. Everett Shorey did not make the list, but his impact was indelible, with or without postseason honors. Shorey made history by becoming the first player in OHSAA Division I history to score 3 goals in a state championship. He finished with 30 goals on the season. Peter Van Euwen also did not make All-Ohio despite a stellar year. The senior started all 23 games, serving as a brick wall in net. The Ohio State commit allowed just 6 goals all season, notching a remarkable 15 shutouts.
"Most schools are lucky to get one, though there is no set rule. We were lucky to have two first-teamers," said McLaughlin. "What we accomplished this season was the sum total of a lot of pieces coming together. Kyle and Matthew were absolutely critical pieces to our success. But we had many seniors who had All-State seasons. We need to recognize seniors like Joey Katic, Danny Kalic, Peter Van Euwen, Everett Shorey, Ryan Notarianni, and Nolan Bartolone. They all were amazing."
The Division I coach of the year was Medina's Simon Spelling, and the Division I player of the year was Medina's Parker Csizar. The Wildcats routed Medina in the State Semifinal, 3-0.
The Wildcats became the first team since the 2010 Cats to win both the State Final and State Semifinal by 3 or more goals. McLaughlin's men won the two games by a combined score of 7-0. Throughout the 7-game playoff journey, the Wildcats outscored opponents by a margin of 37-2.
Before the end of the season, McLaughlin also wants to thank his coaching staff.
"I want to recognize my assistant coaches who work tirelessly and love coming to practice every day to be with the players," said the Wildcats' head coach. "There is so much that goes into practices and gamedays. I've got the greatest coaching staff in the country. They're wonderful coaches, teachers, and dads. I feel full of gratitude for them."