The Independence boys’ soccer team enters the 2017 season filled with hope and supported by a blend of talent and experience that could lead to great things this fall.
The Blue Devils finished the 2016 season with a 16-2-1 record, a Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division championship and a district title.
Fourth-year head coach Ryan MacRaild is eager to see what his squad can do for an encore.
“I’m looking forward to fitting a few new pieces into the puzzle and figuring out what we can do as a team,” MacRaild said. “Losing some great seniors like Jared McCullough and Christian Seif, we need to fill those gaps, but guys are ready to step up. They got a taste of what it means to play at a high level after winning districts and the team wants to have another shot at that.”
Independence returns seven starters and a total of 15 lettermen from last year including senior Wyatt Kunevicius, who led the team in scoring during the 2015 season, and junior Sam Belitz, a second team All-Ohioan who led the squad in scoring last fall.
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“Wyatt is close to the all-time school scoring record and I believe he can get it this season,” MacRaild said. “That would leave Sam to catch him his senior year.”
Seniors Luke Wisniewski and Tyler Korecko also return.
“Luke is a center back and the core of our defensive leadership in the back,” MacRaild said. “As a sophomore starter in the Columbia District final shootout to winning districts last year as a junior and now his senior year, Tyler’s growth and improvement are evident in the quality of work.”
MacRaild is counting on Elek McDonald, Seamus Kral, Nathan Wells, Jimmy Senick and Kyle Streibel to also make major contributions this season.
“We’re looking to win our third CVC title, back-to-back district title and go beyond the Sweet Sixteen,” MacRaild said. “Ultimately, we look to play mistake free soccer. We work on our possession game and take time to focus on the details of our game every day in training. We will need to stay healthy and work as a single unit to find our success this season.”
Independence’s senior class enters the 2017 season with a 64-6-5 record overall and a 28-1-2 mark on its home turf.
