High school soccer: Josh Lord ready to step into spotlight for Brunswick boys

Josh Lord could have been the center of attention for Brunswick's boys soccer team two seasons ago. That's not Lord's style. He knew as a freshman the offense ran through Justin Hagler, and last season Brunswick funneled through Georgetown recruit Cole Parete. "Freshman year behind Justin was such a learning experience," Lord said. "I didn't expect to be playing much and came in and tried to learn and get better. With Cole, I learned so much in what I saw and what he saw. We learned how to play off each other. "Freshman year wasn't tough at all because I was learning so much. Sophomore year, I had moments where I thought it could be me, but looking at it now from where I'm at now if I didn't listen to Cole and listen to 'Hags,' I wouldn't be where I'm at now." Lord is still at center midfielder and relishes the responsibility of playing the 10, but now he is the go-to guy on an incredibly young team that enters the week 2-1 after a big non-league win over Wadsworth. "Honestly, he's crazy intelligent," Brunswick coach Ben Dotson said. "In 18 years of coaching, he's the smartest soccer player I've ever coached. That includes Nick Felician. That includes Justin Hagler. That includes Cole Parete. That includes Jesse Marinaro. Josh has had such a feel for the game at such a young age that he just sees things well before they happen. "It's literally like having another coach on the field who understands, digests and quickly reacts and sometimes proactively acts on information as it happens in real time." That's not lost on his teammates, who know the Blue Devils go as the Lord goes. Seven career goals and six assists show his unselfishness, but make no mistake: Brunswick's offense isn't humming if Lord isn't on the field. "Josh is a very slept-on player," three-year starter and defender Timmy Gronert said. "I've been playing with him forever, and he's one of the smartest players I've ever seen. He sees the field way better than anyone else. It's ridiculous. "He sees it, but only can he see it, he can do it. A coaching staff might see but, obviously, they can't do it. He can do it all." Lord is the top threat on a team that starts only two seniors, Gronert and Derek Lung. Lord not only wants the role, he's looking forward to being coached over the next two seasons. "The best part about Josh is that he can communicate through it and illustrate those ideas," Dotson said. "There are many times that Josh and I are seeing the same thing. He'll come over and say, 'Coach. I'm seeing this,' and I say, 'Josh, I'm seeing the same thing.' "He's able to articulate where to go, who should be there and why it should happen. I'll be able to make the adjustment. He makes it happen and nobody even knows." Lord knows a burden after Hagler put up 65 points as a senior and Parete left as the school's career scoring leader. "I know there's pressure, but I try to avoid it," Lord said. "It's a tall task this year. We have a small amount of returning varsity players. We have to bond. "I'm super comfortable. I learned from great players in front of me and have played the position my entire life. Coach Dotson has always taught me what to see, and it's opened up and made me comfortable." That ability to relax in even the most intense situations has the Blue Devils looking to pick up right where they left off after a district final appearance. "When we keep the ball on offense, he shows me stuff that I don't see on the other side of the field," Gronert said. "He's pointing out open people on the other side of the field. When he tells me it, I do it. It might not lead to a goal, but we have a shot." Contact Brad Bournival at bournival929@gmail.com.