By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Throughout the 2024 season, Kevin Sisak was given some of the highest praise any coach could ever dream of, with opposing coaches regularly complimenting his Field Falcons boys soccer team as the hardest-working team on their schedule.

That is enough to make any coaching staff smile.

But for the Falcons, it certainly wasn’t the only reason.

Field authored the greatest boys soccer season in school history, including a single-season school record for wins at 16, a Metro Athletic Conference championship and the program’s first-ever district title.

All of the statistics rightfully point toward a season of dominance for the Falcons.

Defensively, Field only allowed 11 goals in 21 games, including a staggering 14 shutouts. Through the first 15 games of the season, the Falcons had only trailed for 19 seconds total. From Aug. 31 through Oct. 3, the Falcons allowed only a single goal during a 10-game win streak.

The Falcons’ defensive presence was a collective effort, with defensive mids Liam Waffen and Logan Lonzrick limiting attacks before they ever materialized supported by a stellar defensive line that included Cedric Martin, Wyatt Rahe, Cohen Allen and Tucker Paull.

Goalkeeper Caleb Brastine, an All-Ohio honoree, was the director, boasting a meager goals-against average of 0.47.

The Field boys soccer team celebrates a goal during its Division IV regional semifinal matchup with Poland Seminary.
Shannon Eldreth/Portage Sports

There was plenty of offense, too, with the team netting 76 goals, with 11 wins coming by margins of two goals or more.

The team’s high-press approach constantly kept opposing teams under pressure, which set the tone for transition opportunities in the attack that led to strong offensive seasons from Ethan Flores-Soler (14 goals), Brayden Ronowski (11), Alec Grimm (8), Luke Lonzrick (7) and Mitchell Adams (4). Out of the defense, Martin had eight goals, while Logan Lonzrick also had eight and Rahe’s majestic, dangerous and powerful throw-ins helped him amass 13 assists from his defensive role.

Add in valuable ingredients such as depth, leadership and team chemistry, and the Falcons went from being a good team in 2023 to a historic one in 2024.

Head coach Kevin Sisak, who was named Ohio’s Coach of the Year in Division IV by the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association, saw glimpses of what his team could be back in July.

“We knew the work we put in during the off-season was paying off when we tied Green, beat Lake, New Philadelphia and Dover at the Marlington Super Scrimmage,” Sisak said. “We talked a lot about leadership last season, and I believe having most of the same varsity squad return, we were able to get a lot of that out of our juniors and seniors.”

Field returned 14 returning lettermen to the team this year, which allowed the team to enter the season with an identity and confidence. So much so that while Sisak was absolutely focused on each individual game and what it meant to the season, the daily approach was also all about maximizing a vision, goal and potential.

“I had complete faith in the team that we could make a deep playoff run,” Sisak said. “We knew that the district semifinals were as far as a Field team ever got, but the boys had tunnel vision on our own goals and reaching our maximum potential. We are proud of being the first district champion soccer team at Field, but I think the guys who are returning may be feeling a little unfulfilled. They know that there’s a lot of key players returning and a lot of younger guys ready to step up to contributing roles. A district final is now the benchmark to reach each season.”

It gives next year’s team an immediate goal, but it also tells the story of the legacy left by the graduating senior class.

“For our seniors, the message has been to leave their own legacy,” Sisak said. “The group exceeded expectations and instilled pride and a new standard for the program.”

And that is how you make history.