Generals hungry to prove themselves once again
A year ago Wooster’s boys soccer team did something it hadn’t done in over three decades.
However, instead of walking of the pitch after their regional semifinal loss to eventual Division I state champ Cleveland St. Ignatius with a celebration, the Generals had a much different feeling — motivation.
The result has been — despite a loss to Lexington on Oct. 3 that resulted in the Minutemen reclaiming the Ohio Cardinal Conference title and giving the Generals their first OCC setback — an impressive 2023 campaign as the group finds itself heading into the final weeks of the regular season on a solid roll and with a whole lot left to prove.
“Our final game last year was the best thing that could have happened to this year’s group,” said Wooster coach J.P. Lytle, who guided the program to its first district championship since 1988 last fall. “They went to work right away so they could have the same opportunity to prove ourselves again on that stage. They are hungry, and they all want that chance to prove themselves again.”
Despite losing a handful of key contributors to last season’s 15-win squad, this year’s edition of the Generals has all the makings of a team that can make another postseason run.
With the duo of Nicholas Morse and Luis Canas Jr., along with a defense that has overcome graduation and injuries, Wooster enters the closing weeks in the driver’s seat a high seed in the upcoming sectional/district tournament later this month.
“The group is motivated to continue playing our best soccer as a team and individually,” Lytle said. “They come to practice ready to improve, push one another and hold one another accountable. This brings out the best in us when the games come around and we work together as a team to reach our goals.”
Through 14 matches this fall, both Morse (19 goals, 9 assists) and Canas Jr. (18, 10) have been among the top players in Northeast Ohio.
And after the graduation of leading points Brendan French, it’s been the tandem’s ability to read one another that has made them so tough to stop.
“If you gameplan for one of them, the other one will hurt you,” Lytle said. “Having that 1-2 punch allows for us to attack either side of the field and in different ways. They feed off each other and push one another. If you are ever at a game, they are constantly talking to each other and moving off of one another. It is really fun to watch when they both get going.”
Even more impressive for Wooster has been its defense. With just one returning starter — captain Tommy Hansen — the team knew it had some spots to fill in the offseason.
But the group of newcomers didn’t disappoint as starters Brock Ranney, Jake Rickett, Tyler Hill and Calen Relle have kept things together on the backline, which has been even more important after a recent injury had sidelined Hansen.
Combine that with sophomore Carter Buchholz at goalkeeper and the Generals have posted five shutouts and outscored its opponents 24-4 in its last five contests including nonleague wins over St. Edward (3-1) and Copley (4-1).
And for Lytle, who said a total of eight players have seen time on defense this fall, he’s been most impressed with their ability to adjust.
“We are only getting better each game,” he said, noting Hansen’s continued leadership from the sidelines. “Win, loss or tie we are constantly learning about one another and fixing some mistakes and communication errors from previous games. It is fun to watch this group as they are motivated and ready to help the team in any way each game.”
Aiden Holford, Michael Buchholz, Calen Relle and Dominic Ebin also have contributed in key moments this season, but that competitive spirit starts well before the lights go on.
“These guys love to play and compete,” Lytle said, “whether it’s playing World Cup, shadow drills or 5-vs-5. They get after one another in practice to make things as game speed as possible.
“The ability to play 1-2 touch soccer in practice only helps us stay sharp so we can continue that in games and compete with the best in Ohio.”
