'This is family': Wooster finds perspective in season-ending loss to Wadsworth

WOOSTER — The saying goes, "Leave it better than when you found it."

And on a night that the Wooster boy's soccer came up just short 3-2 against Wadsworth in a Div. I District semifinal, that saying couldn't have rung truer. Even through 30 minutes of golden goal play and then penalty kicks, the smile, albeit less cheerful than usual, on Luigi Canas Jr.'s face said it all.

"Beautiful," said Canas Jr. when asked to describe his time being a General. "This is family. They've brought me to who I am, they've instilled things like hard work and passion into me and now the question is how far can they take it. How far can the next class elevate what we and the classes before have created, especially going to that district final last year. How far can they go?"

In the minutes after the penalty kicks and the loss, Wooster coach J.P. Lytle pulled his team together for a talk at midfield.

"What an awesome group, such fantastic kids," said Lytle. "They push us to be better, they've learned from the guys in the past, they stepped it up to the next level and they taught these younger guys what hard work is. That's just what we were talking about and also the passion to go to practice, show up for each other and love of the game."

All of that was on exhibit for the past two hours before as the Generals put it all on the line against the Grizzlies. Making run after run, tough tackle after tough tackle, one highlight reel save after another, Wooster showed why they are the area's best.

"It's just trusting in each other and trusting everyone," said Lytle. "We still do, we would go do it again and each and every one of those boys would say that. This is a special group."

Wooster struck first when Nicholas Morse buried a goal with 16:34 left in the first half.

It stayed that way until the last five minutes of the opening period when Wadsworth struck twice as Kyle Nagel and Trent Patterson both found the nylon. Patterson nailed his with 29 seconds left in the half.

"It felt like our hearts were breaking into pieces," said Canas Jr about those two scores. "But we were able to put it back together and we rallied when we needed to and that penalty kick, I scored, that was definitely a gamechanger."

Canas Jr. delivered his PK about three minutes into the second half when he was brought down in the box by multiple Grizzly defenders. As for what was said at halftime, it was frank, and it was honest.

"It was all J.P. (Lytle). He told us straight, front and center, that we weren't playing well," said Canas Jr. "He said that if we wanted to win this game, we would have to turn it around, we would have to put in more effort and passion than them so we could get back into it."

That Wooster did, as it locked horns for the rest of the second half and both overtime sessions and neither team could find the go-ahead tally. Still both teams made runs, with Morse delivering some highlights in the first overtime with multiple runs towards the frame that saw Grizzlies goalkeeper Rory Nolan deny both opportunities.

Morse nearly bagged one in the second overtime, but Nolan made a highlight save to keep the game going.

"When Nicky (Morse) drew the post, I was like, 'Oh my god,'" said Canas Jr. "I thought it was going to fall. Nicky is an incredible player and playing alongside him and training with him, it's been beautiful."

Also shining bright was Generals goalkeeper Carter Buchholz, who finished with eight saves, including a highlight in the last minute of the second golden goal period. He snared a shot from the top of the box despite being shielded by an opposing player and then followed up to clean up the play and snuff out the threat.

A decorated senior class was a big part of setting a new standard for Wooster soccer. Canas and Co. helped Wooster reach new heights over the past four years, winning eight playoff games, including a 2022 district title — the first one since 1988.

"The passion and the boys didn't quit," said Lytle. "We had some tough things that happened, they didn't quit as the only thing you can do is come together as a family. It's so fun to come and see them every day, these kids are raising that standard and it's special."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys Soccer: Wadsworth beats Wooster in district semis