DC’s Boling named OT Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year

Daviess County senior Jacob Boling has been named The Owensboro Times Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year.

It was a miraculous season that ended with an unexpected trip to the state championship for Panthers, and Boling was quite simply the work horse that led DC to success.

As the lone senior starter, Boling was the main go-to guy when a play needed to be made. Primarily playing as a forward, he led the team with 33 goals and added nine assists, also playing a big role on the defensive side night in and night out.

For Boling, the season was about more than stats and wins — he was happy to be the anchor for a mostly inexperienced team that found chemistry as the year wore on.

“The season went better than a lot of people thought it would,” he said. “Our team, the way we kept on going, it all came down to just their effort. For me it was bigger than soccer. How the team came together, it was just great. My success was a team effort — them doing their job allowed me to do my job of scoring goals and getting a couple of assists in there.”

Boling hopes to keep playing at the next level, but he hasn’t made any final decisions.

“I don’t have a specific school, but I do plan on playing at the collegiate level,” he said. “I’m interested in Kentucky Wesleyan, but I’m still open to choices.”

DC head coach Doug Sandifer said with so many key players lost from last year’s team, he knew Boling would be the centerpiece this season.

Boling came three goals shy of the single-season record set last year despite being the primary focus of other teams. His efforts were especially vital in the postseason, when he knocked in a handful of game-winning goals.

“I had high expectations for Jacob from the beginning of this season,” Sandifer said. “I knew a lot of responsibility would be put on him to lead this group, and he did not disappoint. He has always played with a tremendous amount of competitiveness and that showed throughout the season.”

While he’s not an overly vocal leader, Boling said he learned from previous teammates how important it was to set an example for the team.

“The leadership skills that I have shown this year are a result of playing here four years,” he said. “Being a leader was helping these guys out like I was helped, through actions on and off the field and just being courteous to everyone.”

Sandifer said everyone on the team has a great deal of respect for Boling just from watching his attitude toward the game, and it’s something that will carry on to future seasons.

“No one can question the effort he plays with,” Sandifer said. “They see how much he his putting into the game. So, when he does say something to the group, they’re all ears. Plus, he’s just a very likeable kid.”