Ravenna boys soccer senior Nick Iurato has 27 career goals and set a new career assists record with 30.
Tom Nader/Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Nick Iurato is the rare kind of soccer player that can predict the future.

He can see things before they happen.

Everything is crystal clear in his head, but nobody else’s.

So the Ravenna High School senior typically plays the games seconds ahead of everyone else, playing in space that his opposition does not even know exists yet.

It is a level of creativity that exists from the combination of his knowledge of the game paired with his mastery of the ball.

Without the ability to maneuver the ball without thought, a player’s creativity rarely blossoms because their primary thoughts are directed toward maintaining possession of the ball.

For Iurato, the “ball is like an extension of his foot,” according to Ravens head coach Matt Wunderle.

Iurato’s creativity is so unique that Wunderle, a veteran coach who is in his 12th season leading Ravenna, has not seen anything like it.

Earlier this season, Wunderle described his senior midfielder as the most creative player he has ever coached.

“I feel very fortunate to have a front-row seat to watch Nick play,” Wunderle said. “He is a joy to watch.”

The results have been a career that will be marked as one of the best in school history, with all-around play that shines through his statistical output and accolades.

A four-year letterman, Iurato has scored 27 career goals and now owns the school record for career assists with 30 — a record that was previously held by Jeremy Finch (1998-2001).

It is Iurato’s fourth school record.

He also holds the single-season assists record (12), single-game points mark (8) and single-game assists best (4).

Iurato, who grew up in Doylestown before moving to Ravenna as a seventh-grader, was named Honorable Mention All-Metro Division in 2019 as a freshman, Second Team All Metro Athletic Conference as a sophomore in 2020 and First Team All-Metro Conference as a junior.

But Iurato’s skills go beyond what he can do with the ball.

It is how he does it.

“First of all, Nick is kinesthetically brilliant,” Wunderle said. “He uses his hips so well and positions his body in ways that leads to his success.

“He also seems to have a complete mastery of the ball. It’s like the ball is an extension of his foot,” Wunderle added. “His use of fakes, feints and deception allow him time to operate and his vision is off the chart.

“Nick is seemingly always thinking one step ahead so if you pay attention closely, you will see him pulling a defender one direction and then passing to player on the other side of the field. It becomes apparent that Nick had planned it all along. He manipulates the defense and creates confusion, which makes our team difficult to defend.”

Naturally, Iurato’s style of play, calm demeanor and likable personality emerged him as a team leader amongst his teammates.

“Nick is a great young man and everyone on the team likes him. He has a pretty relaxed personality, but it is also very competitive.

“ He is a real leader on our team — both by his play on the field and as a vocal leader. We facilitate a lot of our creative energies through him.”

But Iurato’s in the future, so he already knew that.