Every year, the Saint Ignatius soccer program has a theme.
In 2015, it was "Family." In 2016, the theme was "Legacy."
This season, it's "Traditon."
The Soccer Cats have built up an unmatched tradition of excellence under Head Coach Mike McLaughlin '85. The Wildcats have won eight state championships (three in a row) and four national titles (two in a row) under the Saint Ignatius Hall of Famer's watch. Each year, the Wildcats send student-athletes to the college ranks and record a high team GPA.
This season, the Wildcats will be challenged to live up to that tradition. With a young roster composed of three seniors, six juniors, and 14 sophomores, the Soccer Cats will have to mature quickly in order to keep up the "neat streaks" the team has recorded, including a national-best 59-match unbeaten streak.
"We want the guys to know what they're part of is really special," said McLaughlin. "Now they get a chance to add to that tradition. Of course, there's a real pressure of playing soccer for Saint Ignatius. We don't want to magnify that pressure, but we want the guys to know that they're part of an incredible family. With all things, that goes beyond soccer. We're part of a great school tradition and an amazing faith tradition. That's what we want them to know as we go throughout the season."
Pehaps the team's strongest area is its forward group, with a pair of talented players returning.
Sophomore Everett Shorey and Matt McLaughlin hope to lead the way for the squad's scorers. A pure finisher, Shorey tabbed six goals and two assists last season as a freshman. McLaughlin also saw plenty of time as a first-year player, notching five goals and seven assists as a dynamic on-ball athlete. Kory Nekoloff and Henry Curtis will also figure into the mix as explosive players on the wings. Luke Griffiths also impressed in the preseason.
Bryce Horton and Nolan Bartolone will head the group of midfielders, as both bring a physical presence in the middle. Sophomore Austin Zeleznik will figure into the action with his trickiness with the ball. Theo Kudlo also has on-ball skills that will be useful. Senior Alex Rohr will see plenty of game action once he returns from an injury.
The backline will feature several solid youngsters. Junior Kyle Healy is strong on the ball and sophomore midfielder Kyle Folds reads the game well. Senior Kevin Shearer and sophomroe Joee Katic will also play plenty.
The Wildcats will also have a new netminder. Following the graduation of Lodge Dils, the position figures to be a bit of timeshare, with Ryan Mark receiving the starting nod. Mark does not have any varsity experience, but McLaughlin says, "Ryan has worked really hard and wants to prove he's capable of following in the footsteps of greatness." The talented young sophomore Peter Van Euwen wowed fans last season, and will see plenty of time.
Overall, McLaughlin is eager to see how his team bonds under the lights.
"It's a talented group of kids, but the question is: 'How will they react on the big stage? There's no way you'll know that until you go out and play," McLaughlin said. "During the preseason, they've exceeded where we thought they'd be. So there's a real excitement around the program."
The Soccer Cats will certainly be challenged this season, with a tough schedule filled with obstacles. The journey starts with a Friday night matchup against Sylvania Northview and then pivots to Twinsburg next week.
The Jesuit Cup at St. Xavier will provide an early season challenge for the blue and gold. The Bombers, Walsh Jesuit Warriors, and Toledo St. John Jesuit Titans will all be looking to knock off the Wildcats.
From there, the slate continues with a 3-game home streak against Mason, Lake Catholic and St. Edward. Copley and Padua then await the Wildcats before the squad faces three tough Columbus teams in four games – Olentangy Liberty, Dublin Jerome, and Dublin Coffman.
The schedule then concludes with Aurora and Erie Prep before the start of the playoffs.
"When you build relationships, great things can happen. That's the essence of Labre, too," said McLaughlin. "Our goal is always two-fold: There's a soccer goal, then there's a personal development goal. More than anything, we want the student-athlete to become a better human being during the season. While that's happening, we also want to win a state championship."