After a tough loss in the championship last year, John Carroll’s boys soccer team entered the season as the number one ranked team in Maryland.
Before the season began, The Baltimore Sun released their preseason rankings for the 2023 season. JC earned the top spot at number one while Calvert Hall and Loyola trailed closely behind at numbers two and three.
These rankings are based on a comprehensive review of each team’s previous season and their current players. Senior players who have graduated are also taken into consideration.
Varsity Head Coach James Fendryk said, “Just seeing how many guys we were returning and where they finished last year with another season under their belts, I think that’s what they gave them that number one ranking.”
The team’s current roster holds 12 seniors and seven juniors, many of whom have been on the team for multiple years. In regard to the loss of players from the class of 2023, “Most of the group that was playing heavy minutes were still juniors and sophomores,” said Coach Fendryk.
While the number one placement was a strong way to begin the year, Coach Fendryk remains focused on the upcoming games.
“When you think about when the preseason rankings come out, it’s always a snapshot of where people expect teams to be. But it’s not, often times, where they end up. So, the message from last year to this year stays exactly the same. It’s got to be a singular focus on every single game because it’s not about where you start, it’s ultimately about where you finish,” he said.
“You can’t focus on the end product without going through all the individual steps to get there. So, I’ve never taken much stock in preseason rankings. It’s good for the school. It’s good for the guys; they’re excited about it, but at the end of the day, you still have to go through every single game.”
Looking forward, the team’s goal is to make their way to the championship game. One way they hope to achieve this is with a high ranking in the regular season.
Coach Fendryk said, “Secure a number one or number two ranking so you get that first-round playoff bye, and if you do that, it guarantees you home-field advantage for the semi-final, which is huge.”
Playing at the Gerry Gray Memorial Stadium has historically been an important factor for the Patriots.
“We’ve made this field a fortress over the last three to four seasons,” Coach Fendryk commented, “We rarely get beat here.”
Currently, the team has walked away with ties at Concordia, Gilman, and Curley and a with loss at Loyola.
However, home-field advantage is not the only influence on this team. The group is known for their friendship both on and off the field.
Coach Fendryk is “most impressed by the idea that they do everything together. They’re all friends, genuine friends, which allows them to carry that over into performances and onto the field. They do a great job of holding each other accountable, but because they’re friends, they respect each other and they value what each other has to say, so it’s a really unique setup.”
“I’ve never been a part of a group, as a player or as a coach, where there is this very communal feel, not just to get a job done, but to be around each other all the time,” he said, “I think that adds a little special element for not just the captain group, but for the rest of the senior group in total because they like each other.”
In addition to the returning players, new members of the team have already made an impact.
“Being exposed to that senior group and knowing the expectations and knowing what our cultural values are as a team and a program, I think that allowed them to become a part of the group really, really quickly,” said Coach Fendryk.
The Patriots boys soccer team defeated Calvert Hall with a 3-0 win and will face McDonogh tomorrow.