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Friday, August 1, 2008
Over the Top
Greater Louisville, KY
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It’s hard to set goals when you’re coming off an undefeated season, but St. Xavier’s soccer team is thinking even bigger.
How do you top a season in which you went undefeated and won a state championship?
How about a national championship?
That's a thought that has bounced through the heads of some associated with the St. Xavier soccer team entering this season.
And for good reason. Last year the Tigers went 25-0-2 and won their eighth state championship—their fourth this decade (2000, 2002, 2003 were the others)—with one of the best seasons in state history.
St. X bested the state record with 145 goals and led the state in scoring (5.4 goals per game) and scoring margin (4.9 goal advantage per game) while also tying for the state lead in team defense (0.5 goals allowed per match).
St. X returns seven starters from that team led by senior strikers Kyle Schickel and Kevin Bick. Schickel was one of the top scorers in the state last season and the MVP of the state tournament, while Bick was Kentucky's Mr. Soccer and third in the state in assists. The dynamic duo will lead the Tigers as they try to tie Ballard for the most boys' state titles (nine).
"It's always the goal to get that state championship again, winning it back-to-back would be awesome," Bick says.
St. X coach Andy Schulten even admitted earlier this summer that the Tigers had talked national championship heading into this fall.
"That's been on the radar for the first time in awhile," Schulten says. "But it takes so many things that are out of your control, a lot of things have to come together."
Those hopes took a hit, however, in mid-July when Schulten found out that a few returning players were either banged up or ailing.
"It sort of tempered my expectations. It might also equate into a loss," Schulten says. "But an early-season loss might take the pressure off our guys...It's going to be hard to follow up on an undefeated season."
But with Bick, Schickel and goalie Andrew Brotzge back, hopes are still high following a season in which 22 of the Tigers' 25 victories came by two or more goals. St. X was sensational in the postseason, outscoring its opponents 46-3, including George Rogers Clark 5-1 in the state final.
"I don't think there's any question with the returning talent, they've got the talent to be better," Schulten says. "But the guys that we lost were so humble. I don't think we've ever had a team with seniors that were willing to sacrifice everything for the team like that. Not one person complained. We had guys who were Division I scholarship winners who took a backseat to other players.
"That's my concern for this year: Will this year's team be able to accept that role? Will this year's seniors be able to teach the juniors like last year's seniors taught the juniors? I think they can. I hope they won't come in with too high expectations...We might not even make it out of our district. Male's tough and Manual's always got a good team."
But if all goes well, the Tigers could improve on last fall’s No. 10 spot in the final NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America)/adidas National Rankings.
"We have a lot of the same kids that are coming back. We'll be missing a couple of key players and topping that record could be tough, but I think we could do it, we've just got to fill those spots," Bick says. "An undefeated record—it'd be great to get that again. (A national championship), that would be unbelievable."
Josh Cook is a freelance journalist living in the Louisville area.
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Hoops & Justice
by: Paul Najjar
As Susan Yates, she was a standout basketball player for Sacred Heart Academy from 1982-1986. Her awards and accolades included:...
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