Henry Clay boys ride bond to state soccer championship
GEORGETOWN — There are dozens of languages spoken on the Henry Clay boys’ soccer team.
There are at least six countries represented on the Devils’ roster.
They were born worlds apart, but they ended up in a giant heap on the field at Toyota Stadium celebrating their 2-0 state championship win over Daviess County on Saturday night.
“They’re passionate, and they love soccer, and they believe in each other,” a soaking wet, shivering but smiling coach Tim Bernardi said. “That was the key ingredient: believing in themselves and believing in each other.”
They started the season 0-3 against some of the state’s best competition. They labored through losses, then they came together.
“Lots of team bonding,” senior defender Nick Zaytsev said. “We like to do some campfires and lots of meals together. We have fun as a team on the field and off the field.”
The team had reason to bond 10 minutes into the title game when it grabbed an early lead. It started with a pretty pass from Walker Ueland, and it ended with John Manga showing pure speed and power, driving past two defenders, then faking out goalkeeper Jordan Ratliff to slam home a goal.
It was the junior captain’s 22nd goal of the season. Manga, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was all smiles after the win.
“I can’t believe it,” Manga said. “I still can’t believe it. I never thought in my dreams that I would win a high school state championship. Now I get a ring.”
Midway through the second half, Addison Manley added some insurance, taking a tap from fellow sophomore Zach Campbell and firing it from 20 yards out.
The ball banged off the right post, then off Ratliff before falling into the goal to give Manley his second goal of the season. The midfielder was named tournament Most Valuable Player after the victory in front of the crowd of 2,776.
That goal was huge for the defense, which had been under fire. Daviess County (16-10-1) outshot the Devils 4-3 for the game.
“It was a huge relief because we got a little bit of breathing room in the back,” Zaytsev said. “But I never had any doubt in our defense ... Over the past dozen games, we’ve given up very few goals.”
It was the Devils’ ninth straight win and its 15th shutout of the season. Playing against a difficult schedule, Henry Clay (18-6-1) allowed just 17 goals all year.
It was the unranked Devils’ second state soccer championship. Their last one was in 1991 when they beat Male.
They did it without the team’s third-leading scorer, Saint-Marc Dokossi, who had to sit after getting a red card in the semifinals.
They did it together.
“They just started getting better and better as a group and playing for each other,” Bernardi said. “It paid off for them.”
Henry Clay 2, Daviess Co. 0
Goals—John Manga, Addison Manley.
Goalkeepers—HC: Ryan Smalls; DC: Jordan Ratliff.
Records—Henry Clay 18-6-1, Daviess County 16-10-1.
Click
HERE to see original article.
