2022 Preseason 9th Region Ranking

[FrankNicodemus]

I thought I’d show some love to the boys side in the 9th Region this year and create the forum for some friendly banter amongst us fans out there. Unlike the girls side I’m limiting the rankings to the 9th Region and also unlike the girls Top 10, I will only showcase a Top 5. I just feel like the depth on the boys side just isn’t as strong to make my time worthwhile capturing a Top 10. As far as why just the 9th Region, it’s because I didn’t see any team in NKY not in the 9th Region that beat my Top 5 teams from the 9th…..if that happens this year maybe I’ll adapt and make it a NKY Ranking not just a 9th Region Ranking.

I have my Top 5 on paper but want to sleep on it before publishing tomorrow. 

Hope you enjoy the coverage!!

[FrankNicodemus]

Man o man, what have I gotten myself into.  I literally have been looking over my stuff over and over trying to make a decision.  I feel like I just got to rip off the band aid and realize this is a Preseason Ranking and let the season take its course and revise after some games happen.  I actually put 6 teams in my view to hash this Top 5 out, so there will be a snub that will easily come into the Rankings if they show they deserve it in the games.  Also, Bishop Brossart might be a team in the NKY that is yelling, "Include us, include us and make it a NKY Top 5", that might happen!  The one thing that really lacks in these Top 5 teams is some players that found the back of the net a lot last year, unlike on the girls side.  There are only 4 players returning that had 10 or more goals last season, 2 of them are on the same team.

So here we go!

5. CONNER

• Last year finished 15-4-1
• Key returners:  Ethan Sands, Jacob Butcher, Ethan Dyer and Owen King (GK)

4. COOPER

• Last year finished 13-6-3
• Key returners:  Gavin Green, Alex Morris, Maison Canfield and the GK Duo of Pemberton & Truebner

3. COV CATH

• Last year finished 14-9-5, STATE RUNNER UP
• Key returners: Aiden Leach & Sean Dusing

2. DIXIE

• Last year finished 15-4-2
• Key returners:  Bennet Gerak, Reed Brixey, Andrew Kohls, Brayden Blackburn (GK)

1. HIGHLANDS

• Last year finished 18-5-1
• Key returners:  Colin Peiper, Chad Gesenhues, Caden Schroeder

Summary:

I realize I can already hear the gripes already but here is my "Deep Thoughts".  Colin Pieper & Chad Gesenhues might be the most lethal duo not only in NKY but potentially in the state.  They are going to be extremely hard to lockdown together.  You might shutdown 1 but to do both is going to be a difficult task for any team.  As far as my friends over in Park Hills my biggest thing that I thought about is the hole that you will have to fill losing Carter Eilers in goal.  I will say this, if the GK position doesn't become a problem Cov Cath will be a tough team again.  Then there is Dixie, I see them as potentially the best all around team with the super star in Bennett.  At the end of the day I could have been a sell out and put Highlands, Dixie and Cov Cath as 1A, 1B, 1C but what kind of fun would that be?  Who was my snub 6th team you might ask?  It was Ryle.....I am sure we will see them sometime this season in the Top 5.....At the end of the day this in my opinion is going to be a roller coaster of a 9th Region battle.

Let's have some fun!!!

 

[bballfan7]

I agree, ranking these 5 is hard. Some of it may come down to depth and who can stay healthy. I hear Cov Cath has some pretty good goalie talent upcoming, but what you don't mention is they probably have the best defender in the region in Grey Jordan. I'd love to hear the results from Soccerama - who did everyone play and how did they do? 

[FrankNicodemus]

38 minutes ago, bballfan7 said:

I agree, ranking these 5 is hard. Some of it may come down to depth and who can stay healthy. I hear Cov Cath has some pretty good goalie talent upcoming, but what you don't mention is they probably have the best defender in the region in Grey Jordan. I'd love to hear the results from Soccerama - who did everyone play and how did they do? 

Soccerama Results:

Cov Cath tied Cooper 1-1

Highlands tied Conner 0-0

Dixie beat Ryle 2-0

I take Soccerama results with a grain of salt though… I equate it to an NFL Preseason game.

[bballfan7]

I get that - everyone plays, but sometimes you can see depth of team from soccerama. But also - those results show you just how hard these 5 are to rank! 😂

[UKato91]

I think Conner will be competitive.  They have a nice Freshman/Sophomore class coming up that will give them some depth at the varsity level.  I don't think this year is their year but over the next two years they will be difficult to handle.  

[The Double Deuce]

Highlands and Cooper should enter the season as #1 and #2.  Cooper brings back a lot, Mason Pemberton, Landon Hughes, Adam and Alex Morris, Canfield, Green, Musgrave, and Taylor Moore, among others.  Both have coaching questions, HHS' is brand new, and Coach Flesch is still a little bit of a wild-card (best way I can put that).  Lots of Highlands info above, so I'll just say this:  I will be shocked if they don't lead the 9th in goals scored.  Their goal-keeping duo will be something to keep an eye on.

Dixie, the Region 9 runner-up last year, does bring a fair amount back, but Andrew Kohls, I believe, is no longer playing (who you listed above).  They have a solid keeper and some really nice field players, but I think they will lack explosiveness, so they are going to have to win a lot of 2-1 / 1-0 games against the other top teams.

Ryle is re-loading, they lost a ton, but I'd still have them #4 (honestly, I could be talked into #3).  Their back-line / keeper are the best in the area (easily), so if Cole Marsh and others can find the back of the net on the other end, they'll be a handful until the very end.

CovCath lost a TON, so they are absolutely a wild card.  They bring back Grey Jordan, Josh Strange, Andrew Roland, Leach, Weiler, Arkenau, Dusing, and maybe their most talent player, Ethan Roszkowski (sp?), but very few of those guys (minus 3 of them) contributed to their magical post-season run to the State Championship Game.  They are going to be a question mark between the pipes, as well.  Maybe they are 5th...maybe Conner is a notch above, but either way, they start the 2022 season with more questions than answers.  That said, they had a lot of questions last year, and came close to winning another State Championship, but I don't think that will be in the cards this year.  I don't think even the most positive CovCath fan would have them above 4th, so they have some work to do.

Conner is right there with CovCath, they have some very high-end players, but not a lot of top-shelf depth, but if their role players play well, and their studs play like they are capable, they could "potentially" make the region tourney...although that is still somewhat unlikely.

Holy Cross has some talented players, high level club players, but their roster drops off fast, but I'd still stay they have a great chance to get past Beechwood this year and return to the region tourney.  Nico Voight, especially, is among the most talented offensive players in the 9th.

 

[bballfan7]

https://linknky.com/sports/soccer/2022/08/02/nky-9th-region-boys-soccer-preview/

 

Here's a good little article with the coaches perspectives as well. 

[bballfan7]

Looking forward to a lot of local matchups this week! 

Tuesday we have:

Conner vs CCH

Ryle vs Bishop Brossart

NCC vs Cooper

St Henry vs Highlands

Beechwood vs Villa

Thursday we have:

Cooper vs Beechwood

Conner vs Highlands

NCC vs Holmes

Dixie vs Holy Cross