After an improbable run to the state championship, the future is bright for Daviess County boys’ soccer.
The loss of lone senior starter Jacob Boling will certainly leave a big void, as his leadership and playmaking was truly the difference at times in keeping the season alive.
But with 10 guys set to return to their starting rules in 2020, this season’s journey to the title game should pay dividends for years to come.
It was no easy road to get there, and it would have been easy to chalk this season up early on as a rebuilding year with so many first-year starters — including freshmen, sophomores and juniors alike.
Instead, they went 10-0-2 before losing their first game at Owensboro in mid-September.
“I think they just believed in what we were doing,” said longtime head coach Doug Sandifer. “The more games we kept winning, they more they said ‘Hey, this is getting results for us. Let’s continue to do this.’ ”
While the Panthers picked up a couple of impressive victories during the regular season, their postseason wins embodied the identity they had taken on this year.
Starting with an overtime win against Owensboro in the region championship, Daviess County won each of their next four contests — all elimination games — by a single goal.
“Just knowing what we had, to keep winning felt great for us every single time,” Boling said. “It just kept motivating us one game at a time. We focus on one game, we go out, attack as hard as we can, win it and just right after that game is over it’s on to the next.”
Boling is the only player who has seen the entire four-year stretch of incredible success for Daviess County. The Panthers won a state championship in 2016 and finished as runner-up in 2017 before falling in the quarterfinals in 2018.
“Every year it’s meant more to me — every single year,” Boling said. “Just going through and playing with the team. At the beginning of the season we didn’t have much chemistry. Then one night we went to coach’s house and had a bonfire and ever since then we’ve clicked. That’s mainly what it’s about is having connections with the kids on the team, knowing what they are going to do.”
Boling was a catalyst for the Panthers this season. He finished with a team-high 33 goals and added nine assists, but his impact went well beyond the numbers. Whether they needed him to drop back on defense or go create chaos on the front end, Boling was there.
“Jacob just leads by his play on the field,” Sandifer said. “He’s not the most vocal of leaders but he leads by how he plays. You’re either going to raise your level to play with him or he’s going to leave you behind. He has a motor that just won’t quit. You hate to lose him, but they all go at some point.”
Also graduating will be Kaya Suzer and Tyler Mitchell. Suzer played in two games as goalkeeper, making two saves and allowing two goals. Mitchell played only one game before a season-ending injury.
With 10 starters coming back, Sandifer said there’s plenty of reason to believe the Panthers have a chance to continue their streak of state tournament success.
“I sure hope so,” he said of a possible repeat trip to the championship. “We have three seniors to replace. These young guys just get a year older and hopefully a year better. That’s always the goal — to get here.”
Boling was grateful to end his career in a championship match and said his team gave everything they had in the end. Going forward, he expects them to carry on the tradition he’s helped build.
“Our goal this game was to leave it on the field, no regrets, no matter what,” he said. “Making it this far was very great for us. Next year I feel confident they are going to do the same.”
