Three games into the season, the Kirtland Boys Soccer team’s offense isn’t making life easy on opposing defenses.
The Hornets have too many options.
Five different players found the back of the net Thursday as Kirtland rolled to a 6-1 victory over Cornerstone Christian Academy and improved to 3-0.
Marko Valentic led the way with two goals, while Evan Zielaskiewicz, Bram Crisci, Noah Zielaskiewicz and Tommy Brown each scored once.
For Valentic, the Hornets’ early success starts with how well they are playing together.
Help Ohio Varsity Tell More Stories
Ohio Varsity is independently owned and provides local coverage of high school athletes, teams and communities throughout Northeast Ohio.
One-time and monthly donations available through PayPal.
“It feels great to get another win early on,” Valentic said. “For me, the key was we played together as a team. I feel like we’re moving the ball really well and overall just playing good soccer, especially so early in the season.”
Valentic strikes twice
Valentic found the net in two very different ways.
His first came after he broke through the Cornerstone defense and found himself alone against the goalkeeper.
“On my first goal, I was able to get past the defense and had a one-on-one with the keeper and put it by him,” Valentic said.
His second showcased another part of his game. Valentic worked his way past multiple defenders before unleashing a shot from outside the penalty area.
“On my second goal, I was able to dribble past a couple, and I had a powerful shot from the outside of the box,” he said. “It was awesome.”
Valentic also recorded an assist, giving him a hand in half of Kirtland’s six goals.
Plenty of Hornets get involved
The Hornets didn’t have to rely on one player to produce offense.
Along with Valentic’s two goals, Zielaskiewicz, Crisci, Zielaskiewicz and Brown each scored. Crisci and Noah Zielaskiewicz also recorded assists.
Karlo Cubela set up two goals, while Tommy Loncar added an assist.
That distribution is exactly what Valentic believes can make Kirtland dangerous.
“The offense has been clicking really well,” Valentic said. “I think we have a lot of different styles in our attack. Everyone has different strengths we can use, and with that versatility up front we’re gonna be hard to stop.”
Valentic pointed specifically to Brown and Blake Rupert as examples of how Kirtland can get production from players with different skill sets.
“It’s amazing to see guys like Blake Rupert and Tommy Brown, who are completely different players, play the same position yet have so much success within their position,” Valentic said.
At the other end of the field, Tage Crisci finished with four saves as the Hornets limited Cornerstone to one goal.
Belief driving Kirtland’s 3-0 start
Three straight victories have given Kirtland a perfect start, but Valentic knows tougher tests are ahead.
The Hornets travel to Wickliffe on Aug. 25 looking to extend their winning streak to four.
For Valentic, maintaining the momentum isn’t about changing what has worked. It’s about trusting it.
“To keep up the hot streak, I think we just have to believe,” Valentic said. “Believe in the players around you and believe in yourself. We have a tough couple of games coming up, but I know we’re capable of winning. We just have to believe in our abilities now and throughout the season.”
More Boys Soccer Coverage From OhioVarsity.com
Boys Soccer Match Result
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
27 Cornerstone Christian Patriots | 1 |
5 Kirtland Hornets | 6 |
Top Performers
Kirtland
Player Stats
Kirtland
| Player | G | A | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marko Valentic | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Evan Zielaskiewicz | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Bram Crisci | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Noah Zielaskiewicz | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tommy Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Karlo Cubela | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Tommy Loncar | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tage Crisci | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Game Notes
Updated automatically through this result and the latest reported player stats.
