County schools still among Ohio's best at boys soccer

Medina County is sure to produce some of Northeast Ohio's top boys soccer teams again this fall. Medina, which won eight straight games before a Division I state semifinal loss to St. Ignatius, brings back most of its squad, including leading scorer Cole Turchyn. The Bees will have more familiarity in their second season under coach Doug Coreno. Highland also finished the year hot under a first-year coach and hopes to build on that momentum in 2023. Wadsworth coach John Johnson took an inexperienced Grizzlies team to a 14-3-1 record last season and has an abundance of experience back but will have to replace MVP Jackson Herbert. Brunswick, which shocked previously undefeated Westlake to reach the district finals, and Metro Athletic Conference co-champion Cloverleaf are working to fill voids. Buckeye also has plenty of talent returning and is under new direction in coach Dalton Joyce. Brunswick Coach: Ben Dotson (11th season at Brunswick, 109-46-34 at Brunswick; 14th season overall, 138-81-42 record). Last season: 11-7-2, 3-1-1 (2nd Greater Cleveland Conference, Division I, Cleveland 4 District runner-up). Key letterwinners lost: Ryan Horner (All-Gazette), Josh Krecic (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Evan Horner (M, sr.), Zac Shorts (M, sr.), Jackson Lattner (D, sr.), Jalen Coleman (M, sr.), Brandon Kerr (D, jr.), Josh Callahan (D, jr.), Aaron Gruber (D, jr.), Josh Pryken (M, jr.), Owen Beskid (M, so.). Newcomers: Trevor Cook (F, sr.), Andrew Rauschner (D, sr.), Dylan Witkowski (F, sr.), Ryan Kendrick (M, sr.) Matt Clark (D, sr.), Sebastian Kotar (M, jr.), Eli Hyde (GK, so.), Miroslav Milanovich (M, so.), Victor Lazar (M, so.), Kai Piskach (M, so.). Noteworthy: The Blue Devils have emphasized filling gaps on the back line after the graduation of talented players like Krecic. l Evan Horner (4 goals, 11 assists) will garner a lot of focus offensively as he takes on a larger role after the graduation of talented scorers like his brother, Ryan Horner (16, 11), and Josh Lord (19, 18). Buckeye Coach: Dalton Joyce (1st season). Last season: 10-6-3, 5-0 (1st Great Lakes Conference East Division) Key letterwinner lost: Nolan Martin (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Sam O'Brien (All-Gazette, M, sr.), Jaden Davenport (F, sr.), Landon Wilson (F, sr.), Hamza Alnadi (M, sr.), Ian Bonnett (D, sr.) Nick Brunst (D, sr.), Hunter Day (D, sr.), Mason Shafer (M, sr.), Nate Miller (D, jr.), Logan Lowe (F, jr.), Jackson Powell (F, jr.), Keegan Lockard (GK, jr.), Gavin Williams (M, so.), Brody Winter (D, so.). Newcomers: Tanner Cuson (GK, jr.), Dalen Martin (M, jr.), Cole Rowland (M, jr.), Dmitri Tenenika (M, fr.), Cael Miller (M, fr.), Nate Tessman (M, fr.). Noteworthy: Joyce, a Buckeye alumnus, is looking to take advantage of the team's athleticism and believes this is a highly talented team led by O'Brien (20 goals, 5 assists). l The Bucks will be facing Brunswick on Sep. 16 in the newly formed Noah Kotlarik Champions Cup to help raise money for Akron Children's Hospital and the family of Buckeye fifth grader Noah Kotlarik, who recently completed his radiation treatment for kidney cancer. Cloverleaf Coach: Aaron Cummings (6th season, 47-36-4 record). Last season: 13-5, 5-2 (Metro Athletic Conference Tournament champion, T-1st MAC overall). Key letterwinners lost: Blake Musick (All-Gazette), Connor Jenkins (HM All-Gazette), Jimmy Yagersz (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Chase Young (HM All-Gazette, M, sr.), Dylan Bresnahan (GK, sr.), Thomas Blaha (F, sr.), Coby Carrasco (M, sr.), Zak Brownson (GK, jr.), Joe Armogida (D, jr.), Bryan Cavey (D, jr.) Nathan Malikowski (D, jr.), Ronan Barczyk (M, jr.), Ben Myers (D, jr.). Newcomers: Alejandro Porras (M, jr.), Lazaro Mencke (M, jr.), Isaiah Kurtz (M, so.), Brody Adams (D, so.), Lucas Mencke (D, so.), Braylon Young (D, so.), Noah Lindenmuth (M, so.), Tyler Dennis (D, so.), Rocco Fondale (D, so.), Jackson James (M, so.), Austin McNeal (D, so.), Trevor Courie (D, so.), Alex Wershing (F, so.), Miguel Calderon (M, so.), Braedon McCann (M, fr.), Branson Pavlik (M, fr.), Owen Brownson (M, fr.) Noteworthy: The Colts graduated nine players, including county leading scorer Musick (27 goals, 5 assists) and foreign exchange student Matias Fuentes Silva. l Cloverleaf has bulked up its non-league schedule with games against teams like Buckeye and Rocky River. Highland Coach: Christopher Schaefer (2nd season, 9-8-1 record). Last season: 9-8-1, 5-2 (3rd Suburban League American Conference) Key letterwinners lost: Alex Dobkowski (All-Gazette), Jacob Dobkowski (HM All-Gazette), Jackson Hedden (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Max Wuchter (M, sr.), Oliver Sverko (D, sr.), Bennett Shaw (D, sr.), Ian Schuler (F, sr.), Vince Ravanelli (D, sr.), Liam Kenny (M, sr.), Mitchell Keiper (D, sr.), Samuel Huttner (M, sr.), Caden Davis (D, sr.), Kevin Curtis (D, sr.), Alex Curtis (M, sr.), Josh Gaydos (GK, jr.), Jack Petersen (GK, jr.), Max Gargano (M, jr.), Carson Kwiatkowski (M/F, so.). Newcomers: Parker Phillips (F, sr.), Connor Haney (D, jr.), Nazariy Bochkob (D, jr.), Devin Kolda (D/M, jr.), Alex Hedden (D, jr.), Evangelos Verginis (F/M, so.). Noteworthy: The Hornets went 7-2 over their final nine games, as the players became more comfortable in the new system. That should only grow with 15 letterwinners back, including 11 senior letterwinners. l Davis, Schuler and Keiper will be the senior captains. Medina Coach: Doug Coreno (2nd season at Medina, 15-4-3 record; 20th overall, 255-72-40 record). Last season: 15-4-3, 5-0 (1st Greater Cleveland Conference, Division I state semifinalist). Key letterwinner lost: Nate Werthmuller (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Cole Turchyn (All-Gazette, M, sr.), Dylan Eckert (All-Gazette, D, sr.), Donny Taylor (All-Gazette, GK, sr.), Owen Alber (HM All-Gazette, F, sr.), Kyler O'Reilly (HM All-Gazette, M, sr.), Ian White (HM All-Gazette, D, sr.), Danny McCashin (HM All-Gazette, M, sr.), Lincoln Horton (D, sr.), Reilly Hough (M, sr.), Ian Kaczmarek (M, sr.), Konner Leyden (F, sr.), Dylan Gannon (D, sr.), Evan Kotick (M, jr.), Cooper Korduba (F, so.), Brody Gannon (M, so.). Newcomers: Grant Hunsicker (D, sr.), Joey Kozlowski (D, sr.), Keegan Kraft (M, sr.), Gael Moreno (M, jr.), Bennett Werthmuller (GK, so.), Cooper Fuller (F, so.), Michael Fishbach (M, fr.), Jackson Harvey (D, fr.). Noteworthy: Medina returns All-Gazette forward Turchyn, who is the county's second-leading returner in goals (18) and points (44). l Coreno expects a shift in mentality with a more experienced team that expects to get every opponent's best effort and will need to stay hungry to reach the Bees' lofty goals. Wadsworth Coach: John Johnson (27th season at Wadsworth, 248-133-70 record; 35th season overall, 332-178-92 record). Last season: 14-3-1, 4-1-1 (2nd Suburban League National Conference). Key letterwinners lost: Jackson Herbert (Gazette MVP). Letterwinners: Tanner Sir Louis (All-Gazette, D, sr.), Michael Watson (HM All-Gazette, F, sr.), Alex Innocenti (HM All-Gazette, F sr.), Rory Nolan (GK, sr.), Parker Russell (M, sr.), Harrison James (F, sr.), Anderson Dotlich (D, sr.), Lucas Van Eck (M, sr.), Timmy Steyer (M, sr.), Dominic Gambaccini (D, sr.), Caden Whited (M, jr.), Gavin Gambaccini (M, jr.), Newcomers: Jack Messick (D, sr.), Sean Martinez (D, sr.), Will Hutchison (M, sr.), Trent Patterson (M, sr.), Brayden Kereszturi (M, jr.), Vincent Gambaccini (D, so.), Kyle Nagel (F, so.), Cole Miller (M, so.), Justin Lazzaretti (F, so.), Eli Watson (D, so.), Isaac Byers (GK, so.), Cayden Taylor (GK, fr.). Noteworthy: Herbert is now playing at the University of Akron, but the Grizzlies return eight of their 10 leading scorers from last season, starting with Michael Watson (11 goals, 4 assists). l Wadsworth has gone from a young and inexperienced team to one of the most experienced with nine returning starters and 14 seniors. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.