You won’t see a lot of hardware in the trophy cabinets of these players’ teams, but watch out for them this season. They -- and their programs -- may surprise you!
Boys
Layth Masri, Louisville Collegiate
It may have never won a district, regional or state championship, and it may have only 100 plus boys in upper school, but look out for Louisville Collegiate this fall.
In particular, pay attention to Layth Masri.
Described by his coach Brad Davies as "special," Masri has just returned from England after he was chosen along with Javanon '92 teammate Taylor Hafling (Male) to train and compete at Chelsea FC in London.
The pair also participated in the US Youth Soccer National Championships for the second successive season with Javanon.
"Technically and tactically, Layth is very good, and he is a fantastic athlete," says Davies. "His biggest asset, and the one that will help his game continue to improve in college and beyond, is his psychological approach to the game. Layth embraces a growth mindset. As a result, mistakes are not moments where he begins to doubt or criticize himself, but rather opportunities to learn and become better."
Davies says Masri, who has verbally committed to Northwestern University, competes with class. "He is the best player on our team, but has not fallen victim to the narcissism that can often accompany high praise.”
Since 2000, Collegiate has enjoyed seven winning seasons and some very exciting district and regional championship games.
"We believe our program is making great progress," says Davies. "Competing with the larger schools is a very fun challenge."
Drew Mattingly/Andrew Rosenberg, Christian Academy of Indiana
Christian Academy of Indiana sounded a warning shot last year days ahead of sectionals that they were no longer cannon fodder for powerhouses Jeffersonville and Providence. They knocked off the Pioneers 4-3.
Helping the Warriors that day was goalkeeper Drew Mattingly, who made 11 saves, and Andrew Rosenberg, who scored a hat-trick.
In fact, Rosenberg, whose season tally was 24, was ranked ninth in goals scored in Indiana last year.
"Andrew has great footwork, explosive speed and can put away shoots on goal with both feet," says CAI coach Will Lorigan. "He has emerged over the last two years as a genuine goal scoring threat regardless of the opposition."
Mattingly, a senior, has recorded 16 career shutouts, seven of them last year, earning him a place on the Indiana Soccer Coaches' Association's All-District 5 first team.
CAI also has a solid core of lower and upper classmen to add strength, experience and ability to the lineup, highlighted by junior sweeper Ross Heinz and sophomore midfielder Chris Smith.
Rob Daugherty, Bullitt East
This year's Bullitt East boys' team will be the best in its history, says coach Mike Brangers, thanks in no small part to a senior group which started playing in the Bullitt County YMCA and became part of first competitive soccer team in the county, YMCA Thunder.
One of them is standout senior Rob Daugherty, who as a junior was one of the top strikers in the area with 15 goals.
"Rob has the respect of his team, coaches and opponents," says Brangers. "Most of the team's defense key on Rob from the kick off - his effort in a match is top notch."
Bullitt East is clear in its goal this season, says Brangers: to win an elusive district championship, and a trip to the regional final.
With 15 returning seniors, the Chargers may achieve it.
Taylor Shaver, Shelby County
Shelby County has been overshadowed by district rivals Oldham County, North Oldham and South Oldham for years, but confidence is high that this year the Rockets will finally secure some hardware.
Coach BJ Andriot, who was a member of the first Shelby County team founded in 1984, says striker Taylor Shaver will have a big say in the destination of trophies as he spearheads a 4-3-3 formation.
"He is an amazing hold-up player who is very crafty, and for a 6-foot guy, moves a lot and combines well with the midfield," says Andriot.
In fact, Shaver scored the opening goal in the Rockets’ first game of the season against reigning state champion St Xavier. Although going down narrowly 2-1, the team drew a lot of confidence from the game.
It's by no means a one-man show at Shelby County, which returns 10 seniors. Other Rocket men of note are junior Brandon Shuck, Carlos "Mighty Man" Carias, Louis Cervantes, John Lisby and David Breen.
"I think, teamwise, this is the best we've had -- there are no weak links," says Andriot.
Girls
Lucijana Vrebac, Atherton
It’s the Atherton girls' misfortune that they are in a district which features two of the best girls’ teams in Kentucky in the shape of Sacred Heart and Assumption.
However, Atherton is no slouch, finishing 2008 with an 8-6 record. And in 2007, it posted a 13-4 record and scored 73 goals, placing it among the top six teams in Kentucky in scoring.
According to coach Carlo Ellard, the Rebels have a good incoming freshman class which must fill the gaps left by six senior starters from last year. "If everyone can stay healthy, I believe we will have a successful year," he says.
One player he will be praying the soccer gods will sprinkle full fitness dust on is Croatian born Lucijana Vrebec.
Vrebac has scored 60 goals in her high school career thus far, netting 14 last year to add to the 26 and 20 goals in her sophomore and freshman years respectively. As a sophomore , she was an honorable mention member of the all-regional team.
Vrebec attended Noe Middle School and played soccer on their all-boys' team. In fact, she's played against males a lot. She lives near Douglas Park, where playing pickup soccer with boys and grown men has helped cultivate her creativity.
"One interesting thing about Luci is that she [would] rather meg a player than score, which points to the fact that she loves being creative on the pitch," says Ellard. "I believe this was something born out of the pick-up soccer she played at Douglas Park. It is something that at one point I tried to temper but I now realize it needs to be encouraged." [ED: What does “meg a player” mean?]
Meredith Garner/Margaret Giesel, Kentucky Country Day
Most of the players on the Kentucky Country Day roster have built the four-year-old program from the ground up. Several of the girls have made a huge impact, says coach Sarah Shartzer, especially juniors Margaret Giesel and Meredith Garner.
Giesel is the team's primary keeper, but moves out and up to forward when KCD needs to make an offensive push.
Garner, the school's leading scorer and offensive MVP last year, is primarily an outside midfielder, but can play almost anywhere.
"We have a huge group of juniors on the team, but these two have really stood out in terms of commitment, knowledge of the game and athletic ability," says Shartzer. "At keeper and forward, they are able to control both ends of the field for us, but they probably have an even bigger impact on the rare occasions we get a chance to put them together in the midfield."
Emma Wesp, Jordan Dent, Sophie Higazy, Charlestown
Charlestown introduces a girls' varsity soccer program for the first time this year, making it an exciting one for coach Marcy Satkoski and her 19-strong squad. Five of the team have already tasted action as part of the Pirates' coeducational team, including its three co-captains, Emma Wesp, Jordan Dent and Sophie Higazy.
Wesp, a sophomore, took on the boys as a freshman and also managed to find the net a couple of times.
"I want to see the team grow this year and continue to improve over the next few years," she says.
Also captaining the team are senior Dent and junior Higazy, who will bolster up defense.
Satkoski says all three are great players and have strong leadership skills, and are joined by a nice mix from all grades.
This is Satkoski's first role as head coach, having been an assistant at New Albany for six years. She says she looks forward to the future of the program. "The girls have fantastic attitudes and have been working very hard. We're excited to get out there and see how we match up against other girls' teams."
Ginny Zimlich, Presentation Academy
It is no coincidence that goalkeepers are high profile players, as they are often seen as leaders on the field. Presentation Academy senior Ginny Zimlich fits that bill.
"She is now a three-year starter and very much the 'leading-by-example' leader of this team," says coach Brad Lipe. "She is a 'first to show, last to leave' kind of player when it comes to practice. She even puts in time after practice to work out and fine tune the skills needed to be an effective goalkeeper."
Lipe, a graduate of Bellarmine University where he was a vital member of the men's soccer program, says a couple of sophomores are also expected to step up and take more of a leadership role this year -- Shelby Minton and Andrea Koesters.
"Both provide a lot of athleticism, the ability to learn quickly, and dependability," he says.
Junior Maddy Clark, a vocal leader, will inherit the role of center midfield from Allyson Palmer, now playing at Bellarmine.
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