The header scored by St. Ignatius’ Bryce Horton in double overtime marked the end of a spectacular fall sports season for University School athletes. Seniors sat down stunned, with their high school soccer career over. Everyone was at a loss for words; less than 20 hours earlier, the football team had grappled with the same feeling. It’s a sting that will rest on the players’ minds for time to come. Both games were spectacularly competitive, with several opportunities unused on both sides. And to ease this pain, I bring you the Way-Too-Early 2018 Fall Sports Preview.

Soccer:

After the disappointing finish mentioned above, the team is even more motivated to rebound and return with unmatched vigor next season. Freshmen defensemen Justin Flamm says that the team is definitely motivated: “We have a great team, and we can’t wait to get to work next year.” Junior goalkeeper Mike Zemanek will anchor a defense made up of mostly new additions to the team, including Flamm: “We lost a lot of talented players, but we will be ready, and we have the capacity to be a great team.” A bright spot for next year’s team is in talent of the underclassmen. Expect freshmen Drew Schlegel, Graham Winings, and Flamm will continue a building legacy of Prepper talent.

Football:

It’s no secret that the team will be completely different next year. The loss of seniors Cam Hubbard, Lewis Allen, Joe Kadlic, and News-Herald player of the year Jayden Cunningham will be hard to fill, but doable. Returning receivers Jack Voudoris and Jake Kapp, will maintain some stability on offense, but the question remains, who will throw to them? Freshmen quarterbacks Ricky Radke and Solomon Perez will put work in the offseason to give themselves a chance at the starting spot, but their age and lack of varsity experience leave some questions. On the defensive side, junior cornerback Jordan Scadlock and sophomore safety Jack Borrow will try and replenish a defense that lost even more seniors. They may have lost a lot of players, but there is still upside for Coach Ben Malbasa and his staff.

Cross Country:

The future is certainly bright for the Prepper runners, highlighted by sophomore Justin Iler, who recently won the region and finished as the 28th best runner in Ohio. Also returning will be sophomore Graham Clark, freshmen Griffin Walsh, and junior Michael Castellanos. Last season, the Preppers were finally able to qualify for the regional meet, along with sending Iler to states. They are coming off of a historic season, one which was mainly anchored by young talent. They are in prime position to make one of the best runs in school history.

Golf:

The golfers look to keep the momentum going after qualifying for states for the first time since 2007 and the first time since entering Division I. Returning junior captains include Brett Rodgers and Tommy Coyne, who look to fill the gaps left by seniors Joe Fedro, Kyle Flatow, and Ben Cowan. Sophomore Gavin Tallall is also working to build up next years’ squad to keep the team in contention for states. As for freshmen, Joey Kubic and Spencer Krantz hope to keep the string of talent going and be in a position to lead in the future. The talent is there for University School, and they are ready to use it.