Meet the top high school boys soccer teams and players in the Louisville area in 2023

It’s been nine months since the St. Xavier High School soccer team lost a penalty-kick shootout to Paul Dunbar in the state championship match, but the Tigers who were there haven’t forgotten.

Head coach Andy Schulten sees signs of it every day at practice.

“It’s not forgotten, and, yes, it’s motivation,” Schulten said. “We have some competitive souls on our team, and we’ve had some of the most intense practices I’ve ever been a part of in recent days. I have to remind them sometimes that we’re all on the same team.

“I think they’re champing at the bit to get back there.”

As Kentucky’s high school soccer season kicks off Monday, St. X once again figures to be in the mix for a state title, with several key members returning from last season’s 24-2-3 squad that lost 1-0 to Paul Dunbar in the state final.

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But Schulten said the Tigers will be a work in progress early in the season as they battle several injuries. The most significant player missing is senior center midfielder Alvaro Gonzalez, who is out for the season with a knee injury. He had seven goals and eight assists last season on his way to first-team All-State honors.

“He was probably one of the top three or four candidates for Mr. Soccer this year,” Schulten said. “Everything was great until I heard the news he was out.”

Junior striker Stone Work returns after posting a team-high 27 goals and earning second-team All-State honors last season. Senior Trip Campbell (seven goals, eight assists) and junior Trenton Kaskocsak (six goals, four assists) also will be threats on offense.

Seniors Liam Eisner and Frankie Klein lead the defense, and senior Ben Howard replaces the graduated Alex Kron at goalkeeper.

“With the injuries, we’ve probably gone from being top two or top three in the state to top five or six,” Schulten said. “But we’ll change our dynamics and see what players step up.”

Here’s a look at other boys soccer teams from the Louisville area. All statistics are from last season. (Note: several coaches did not respond to requests for information.)

Other regional contenders

Ballard (16-3-1 last season) must rebuild after losing several key players from last year’s team that reached the Seventh Region semifinals. Leaders will include senior defenders Mark Fister and Keaton Wells, senior goalkeeper Michael Griffin, junior center midfielder Jobe Panella (six goals, six assists) and sophomore center midfielder Santiago Sanchez (eight goals, six assists).

Butler (12-6-7) has nine starters back and will seek its fourth straight Sixth Region title behind a solid group of seniors – forward Benit Mulume (13 goals), midfielders Pepe Valle and Hussein Abdella and defenders Agustin Vargas and Daniel Gutierrez. Junior midfielder Bilombele Kanzulu was a second-team All-State pick last season.

Collegiate (13-5-1) expects to contend for All “A” and KHSAA state titles behind senior midfielder Nick Harshaw (13 goals, 10 assists), who was a first-team All-State pick last season. Senior midfielder Jafet Figueroa (five goals, seven assists) was a second-team All-State selection, and junior Crew Hartlage “will be one of the best – if not the best – goalkeepers in the state,” coach Chad Wozniak said. Senior midfielder Elijah Harper (11 goals, six assists) also returns.

DeSales (12-6-3) was hit hard by graduation but does return senior midfielder Tyler Mudd (11 goals, four assists) and junior goalkeeper Parker Collins. Ryan Glynn took over as head coach after Lee Smith died of a heart attack in January. Smith had been the head coach for two seasons.

Fairdale (14-7-1) reached the Sixth Region semifinals and will be led by senior goalkeeper Dylan Walker (seven shutouts), junior center midfielder Evan Parisek and sophomore center midfielder Semir Silkjovic (four goals).

Manual (15-7-1) reached the Seventh Region semifinals but lost Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year Travis Smith to graduation. This year’s leaders will include senior defender Parker Abma, senior striker Silas Mays (10 goals, four assists) and junior midfielders Nolan Stevens (four goals, 13 assists), Ibrahim Piracha (13 goals, seven assists) and Yassin Mohamed-Hassan (one goal, 11 assists).

Moore (11-3-1) should contend once again in the Sixth Region behind senior forward Stephan Chavez-Varela (seven goals), senior defender Amadou Ndao and junior defender Faustin Byiringiro (two goals, seven assists).

North Oldham (11-5-3) lost several key players that helped produced three straight Eighth Region championships. Junior Jack Price (four goals) is the top returning scorer.

Trinity (17-4-1) lost 2-1 to St. Xavier in last year’s Seventh Region final and returns two of its top scorers from last season in senior Ben Beauerle (11 goals) and junior Grayson Travis (seven goals, four assists). Travis was a second-team All-State pick.

Others to watch

Atherton (3-14-2) has a new coach in Shane Graff and will look to improve behind senior forward Ryan Cox.

Bullitt Central (9-8-1) has a new coach in Shilo Rayburn, who will lean on senior striker Maverick Waters (12 goals, 12 assists), junior goalkeeper Rowan Foster (203 saves) and sophomore striker Tripp O’Brien (28 goals, 12 assists).

Bullitt East (19-4-1), last year’s Sixth Region runner-up, has a new coach in Collin Patterson. Junior forward Landon Talley (10 goals) and sophomore forward Kingston Davis (11 goals, eight assists) are the top returning scorers.

Christian Academy (7-10) has a solid group of eight seniors, led by striker Nate Lesperance (five goals, eight assists) and goalkeepers Kendall Bonura and Gavin Tumis.

Collins (12-7-2) lost 10 seniors from a team that reached the Eighth Region semifinals. New leaders will include senior center back Aiden Schulz, senior forward Connor Ison, junior center back Rodrigo Dominguez, junior midfielder Jack Lingo (five goals, five assists), sophomore goalkeeper Connor Ison, sophomore goalkeeper Gage Miller and freshman midfielder Denilson Moguel.

Doss (4-13) will look to improve behind junior midfielder Abu Rashidi, junior goalkeeper Robert Bikorimana and sophomore wing Rodson Brutus (three goals, three assists).

Eastern (9-10) has a new coach in Taylor Wood and must replace 11 seniors from last year’s team. Junior striker Daevon Miles (five goals) is the top returning scorer.

Fern Creek (13-9-1) reached the Sixth Region semifinals and returns senior goalkeeper Roman Gurung.

Francis Parker (10-9) returns several key players, including senior midfielders Ahna Watt and Isac Negede, junior midfielders Kawin Bista (four goals) and Shayal Wakhley and sophomore defender Finn Kitson.

Holy Cross (8-12) has a new coach in Blake Hanen, who has one of the Sixth Region’s top players in senior midfielder Jayse Hardesty (14 goals, nine assists). The Cougars also have several solid juniors in midfielders Cade McKinney (seven goals, six assists) and Cole Wiegandt (five goals), forward Landon Stoff (four goals), defender Paxton Adkisson and goalkeeper Joey Burke.

Kentucky Country Day (8-7-3) has a young team led by senior defender Baxter Hurt, sophomore striker Hayden Stamps (six goals) and freshman midfielder Dominic Del Negro.

Male (9-5-4) will lean on senior defender Ray Wilson, junior midfielders Noah Aulick and Riley Varisco (four goals, seven assists) and junior goalkeeper Jacob English.

Oldham County (2-10-5) should improve behind seniors Jair Garcia and Johnny Barrientos and juniors Sean Pollak and Jack Robson.

Pleasure Ridge Park (9-13-1) has a pair of leaders in senior striker Victor Mejiar Sanchez (20 goals, 10 assists) and junior goalkeeper Dylan Hash (256 saves).

South Oldham (9-8-5) was an Eighth Region semifinalist last season and returns three of its top four scorers in senior midfielder Nikko De La Mora (five goals), junior midfielder Nouh Benaly (seven goals, five assists) and sophomore midfielder Ethan Spurlock (seven goals).

Spencer County (7-11-2) returns senior Tommy Childress (six shutouts), a second-team All-State goalkeeper. Senior midfielder Nate Noll and junior midfielders Jack Hart and Adnan Al-Sari are other leaders.

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Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA boys soccer: Top teams, players in Louisville area for 2023