By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Through the course of Blake Postlethwait’s soccer career at Rootstown, opposing teams have probably felt that they have seen him all over the field.

Talented players with speed, footskills and intelligence often make their opposition feel that way.

And all of that is true for Postlethwait.

But so is the fact that he has literally played all over the field for the Rovers during his four-year career.

As a freshman, he was named Honorable Mention All-Portage Trail Conference while playing sweeper.

As a sophomore, he was named First Team All-PTC while playing center defense.

Last year, as a junior, he was again named to the PTC’s First Team for his play at left midfield.

Now a senior, Postlethwait has moved up top to play striker and is terrorizing teams with seven goals in six games.

His versatility, mixed with his skill and inspiring work ethic, along with a collection of talented teammates, have all helped Rootstown jump out to a 5-1 record, including the program’s 300th all-time win, to start a season that is filled with high hopes for a program looking to win its first league championship since 2017.

“Blake is a player that does a lot for us and has done a lot for us,” longtime Rootstown head coach Charlie Voth said. “When you watch him, he can slow the game down. He reads things. Whether he is sliding across the midfield, in the box, breakouts or when people are around, his first moves are great, but he does it all while slowing down and making the right plays.”

Even as a freshman, Postlethwait played that way.

He has 21 career goals and long ago earned the trust of his coach and teammates.

“I have trusted him for a long time,” said Voth, who is in his 24th year with the Rovers. “First of all, he works his tail off. He always does, and he always has. That is just a family thing with the Postlethwaits. Second, he has always just done exactly what we ask him to do, then combine those things with his skill and the fact that he is not a greedy player and wants to get everybody involved, and you can see that he is an easy player to trust.”

As a two-time captain, Postlethwait said he enjoys the opportunity to be a leader on the team.

“As a freshman, I came in trying to figure out where I fit in with the group, but by the time I was a sophomore, I remember coach (Voth) communicating to me that he trusted me out on the field to make any play or to make any call, even though I was an underclassmen. When I heard that, my confidence just kept growing.”

A little bit more of that confidence grew on Aug. 17 during the Rovers’ season and home opener against Chippewa.

Rootstown cruised to a 9-0 triumph, with Postlethwait notching the first hat trick of his prep career.

The first goal came with a lofted pass that went over the top of the Chipps’ back line, which Postlethwait sprinted onto to create a one-on-one with the goalkeeper that he put away in the left corner.

His trio of goals was the spotlight performance in what has included four shutouts in the team’s first six games, with the Rovers outscoring their opponents 37-5 after six games and heading into Thursday’s challenging matchup at Andrew Osborne Academy.

Another night that he will be all over the field. It will feel that way, at least.