As has been written before, the Class of 2020 enjoyed soccer riches the likes of which have not been seen in Saint Ignatius history.
Of a 15-member class, a whopping nine seniors committed to play soccer at the next level, including three in Division I. The Wildcats rolled to an undefeated record along with state and national championships, winning 18 of 23 games by two or more goals, and winning every playoff game by three or more goals.
It would be natural for the following season to be a let-down. But the returning 12-senior class and a talented young core is deadset against any slide.
The goals remain the same as always: Become better men, go undefeated, beat St. Edward, win the OHSAA State Championship, and win a national championship.
The season begins for the Wildcats on Friday, as the squad opens the year with Massillon Jackson. (For the full schedule, click here.) After a 4-0 scrimmage win over Shaker Heights on Tuesday, the Cats look ready to go.
(All home games and select road games will be broadcasted live on the SIBN)
First and foremost, the Wildcats will be focused on the program's theme for 2020: Brotherhood. Head Coach Mike McLaughlin '85 believes the theme will resound well with his team.
"We have a really good mix of young guys and veterans," says McLaughlin. "Because of the disruptions in August, it's been tricky to work on building the team and chemistry. So we're working hard on the soccer side of it, but we're also working hard on the brotherhood aspect. They're trying to become not only better soccer players but better teammates."
Nic Barzacchini, Niko Basic, Marko Rimac, and Liam Sowell will play a big part in building a tightknit squad. The four captains all saw varsity time last year and learned from last year's seniors. It would be fair to say that this quartet is revved up to prove themselves.
Barzacchini and Basic figure to play midfield. Barzacchini played in 14 games, playing 251 minutes. Basic notched 3 goals and 2 assists in 14 appearances and 253 minutes in 2019. Rimac will be a leader on the attack at forward. Even on a crowded 2019 field, Rimac tallied 11 goals and 5 assists as a potent weapon. Sowell appeared in 5 games, allowing 1 goal in 72 minutes.
"It'll be interesting because we have some younger kids with not a lot of experience, and we have some older guys with experience," McLaughlin says. "We'll really lean on the older guys to create an atmosphere for the younger kids to help us reach our goal."
Looking at the attack, Luciano Pechota will be a key young contributor. Pechota became a beloved player on the 2019 squad, contributing 6 pretty assists and finding twine 5 times, including in the Olentangy Liberty regular season game. Zsombor Onodi is a talented newcomer as a sophomore, and will be looked to contribute on the scoreboard. Josip Rimac look to create offense like his brother as playmaking junior at wing/outside back. Giancarlo Sarti also made the squad as a junior forward.
Beyond Barzacchini and Basic at midfielder, the Wildcats will have lots of new faces occupying starting spots. Senior Aidan Kernell will return after earning a letter last year with 13 appearances. Fellow senior Francis Pacetti will appear on varsity for the first time, and will look to make an impact.
Talented youngsters abound at the position. Juniors Matthew Mays, Antonio Morini, and Will Armsworthy will figure into the mix. Expect sophomores Nate Trickett and Nolan Spicer to earn plenty of playing time, as both are quite talented.
The Wildcats do not lack for talent with the defenders on the roster. The key will be finding the right combination of guys to prevent shots on net.
"Figuring out our backline will be a tricky thing. We graduated four seniors who started three years on defense," says McLaughlin. "That will take some time. But we're excited about the guys who will be back there."
To start the year, Colin Folds, Noah Zebrak, and Owen Sullivan will be the key names to know in the back line. All three are newbies to the fold, though Folds did watch his brother, Kyle, tear it up for the Cats, as a young sophomore. Zebrak is a strong senior, and Sullivan is a sophomore with great potential.
Seniors Max Smoot, Michael Harsar, Brayden Gotsky, and Devar Anderson are all names to know, as well. These seniors have good athleticism and ball skills that will help the Wildcats protect the net.
Juniors Seth Perkowski, TJ Fraser, Nathan Smith will also figure highly into the equation. The varsity newcomers do not lack for talent, either.
In net, captain Sowell will look to hold down the fort. He will have two youngsters to mentor – Ben Mark and Patrick McLaughlin. Ben's older brother, Ryan '18, also played net, while Patrick's older bro, Matthew '20, is the school's new assists leader. Both Mark and McLaughlin are sure to make names for themselves in their own right, as both are athletic netminders.
Above all, McLaughlin's men are ready to be playing and have a season.
"Everyone is really excited. For a long time and even still, now, it's been day-to-day," McLaughlin says. "Things could change quickly, but hopefully everyone plays their part and we get a season.
"When something is taken away from you and you get it back, there is a new enthusiasm and desire. That's something these guys are feeling. They're also feeling the need to prove themselves. Last year, we had a special team, and all of those guys left. You could say that people are writing us off a bit this year. This is a team that wants to make its mark on the program. There is enough talent to make a run for things this year."