Gazette MVP: Medina's Parker Csiszar is All-American boy -- and player

With blond locks and a cool disposition, Parker Csiszar looks like the All-American kid everyone loves. Throw the two-time Gazette MVP in boys soccer between the lines and you'll find out how fierce he is. Csiszar again was the catalyst for a Medina team that reached a fourth straight Division I state semifinal. This time, the Bees finished 20-1-1. "On any day, he can change a game for you," coach Simon Spelling said. "You might mark him out for 79 minutes of the game, but if he gets half a chance, he'll put the game away. It's difficult to counter that because every time he gets the ball he can create something. "He's unassuming in his physical stature and mental stature, but if you put the ball at his feet, he'll lull you into a false sense of security. Those people who have played against him for three years recognize he's a wolf in sheep's clothing." Csiszar was an All-American last season and will likely repeat when the teams are announced in January after earning D-I Player of the Year in Ohio. He'll represent the West All-American team in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 7. "He's probably one of the most complete players that I have ever come across," Strongsville coach Tobey Cook said. "He tended to play out wide. Normally, the best players are the central guys. They tend to play up front and be targets. They're a forward, a center midfielder, a center back. That's what made him unique. He was one of the best wide players that I've seen in a long time. He could make an amazing difference in the game." Csiszar finished with 12 goals and 10 assists and wasn't upset if he wasn't the central scoring figure. In 2018, Csiszar scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 overtime victory over Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller to win the state title. That put an immediate target on his back. Earning All-American status put that bull's-eye in neon colors. "There were points in every game that I would become frustrated, but Coach Spelling and my team really pushed me hard to stay levelheaded," Csiszar said. "It kept me as focused as I could be so I didn't fall out of the game. "This year, I was definitely looking more toward who I could find. I didn't care who got the ball, anybody could score. It took a lot of pressure off me because my team was so well-rounded and anyone could score." That may have made him the most dangerous player on the field. His 34 points ranked sixth in Medina County. He finished with 34 career goals and 28 assists (96 points). That those goals came from the outside further proved how vital he was to a Medina team that scored 86 goals in 22 games (3.9 goal average). What made him unique was that he wasn't rushing from the middle and relying on elite speed to defeat the defense. Csiszar could hit from the outside left or right. He gave a sneak peak in the season opener against Copley with an incredible assist from the top of the box. Csiszar sent a crossing ball all the way across and hit Weston Mansier 2 yards in front of the net. It landed on Mansier's foot and was in the back of the net before the Indians could even react for Medina's first goal of the season.Csiszar never let up after that. "He can score goals from out there and create assists from out there," Spelling said. "He has extra talent from that position. There were times where he was frustrated with being double-teamed. He wasn't getting the ball at the right spots in the field, but the team was winning. He recognized the team came first and was happy to contribute in that way." Csiszar also showed up on the brightest of stages. When North Canton Hoover took a 2-0 game into halftime of the Region 1 final, he took his game to another level. Csiszar scored the game-tying goal with 3:50 remaining and drew a foul in the box 25 seconds later to lift the Bees to a one-goal win. "He performed at his best in big games," Medina defender Mike Kelly said. "He practiced hard so he could get the job done in games. He showed me to never give up and stay focused in games. When he's up front, he's always connecting passes and taking big shots when we need them." Contact Brad Bournival at bournival929@gmail.com.