SAINT XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY SOCCER TEAM

Soccer Through the Years

• Since its inception in 1969, the Tiger Soccer program has demonstrated excellence both on the field and in the classroom. Throughout its 45 years of existence, the players and coaches have created a legacy of success that is unsurpassed in Kentucky and has been recognized on the national scene for both its performance and academic accomplishments.
• Brother David Freely coached the Tigers to their first title in 1969 prior to the sport becoming sanctioned by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.
• In 1972 and 1973 the soccer teams captured back-to-back state championships under the direction of Brother Johan Gegner. These were the first two years of play sanctioned by the KHSAA.
• Coach Mark Saurer led the Tigers to another title in the fall of 1981 during a time that the KHSAA sanctioned championship was held in the spring.
• Coach Rick Blair '66 led the team to titles in 1994 and 1997.
• The 2012 team earned a #3 national ranking as it won a second consecutive state crown and extended the program's unbeaten streak to 55 matches.
• Three St. X players have been named Kentucky's Mr. Soccer since 2000: Ray Burse (2001), Kevin Bick (2007 and 2008) and Kaelon Fox (2012).
• Eighteen members from the 2012-2014 teams signed to play soccer at the collegiate level, including five from 2012, nine from 2013 and four from 2014.
• In 2017, St. X did not have a Division I prospect in its senior class but used a philosophy of wearing down opponents to capture its record 13th state title and the ninth title under Coach Andy Schulten. The Tigers defeated Daviess County 3-0 to finish with a 23-3-2 record, including an undefeated mark (21-0-1) against Kentucky competition. Junior Conner George and senior Bennett Moorman made the All-Tournament team, with Conner selected as the tournament MVP.
• In 2018, the Tigers posted a 26-2-1 record and secured back-to-back titles as they won the 16^th overall KHSAA championship for the program. Led by National Player of the Year, senior Case Cox, the team defeated Fort Thomas Highlands in the championship game 1-0. For the year, Cox tallied 24 goals and was also named First Team All-State. Conner George was also named First Team All-State, while Max Gordinier was named Second Team and goalie Dolan Dugan achieved Honorable Mention status. Wyatt Goodin was named MVP of the state championship game.
• The 2019 Tigers went 21-3-1 and dropped a 5-4 heart breaker in the 7th championship to Collegiate.
• The Tigers captured their 17th state title during the 2020 season, defeating South Warren 1-0 in the title game. Senior Sulli Meyer's header off of senior Agustin Gonzalez' corner kick in the 49th minute was the deciding goal. Meyer was named MVP of the tournament, while Gonzalez and junior Jeffrey Cox were named to the all-tournament team. In addition, Cox, senior Jackson Marks, Meyer, and junior Patrick Walz were named to the all-state team.
• The run to the 2020 title wasn't without drama, most notably in the quarterfinal match vs. North Oldham. The Tigers trailed 2-1 with just two minutes left before getting two goals, including the game winner by Marks with just 17 seconds left, to advance to the semifinals with a 3-2 win. The Tigers would go on to defeat Corbin 2-0 in the semifinals.]
• The 2021 Tigers played a tough schedule, including the #1 team in the country (St. Ignatius), en route to a 17-5-3 record. The Tigers advanced to the 7th Region Tournament by defeating Collegiate 2-1 in the 26th District Championship. After defeating Ballard in the 1st round of region, the Tigers won a classic in the semifinals against Trinity 2-1 in double overtime. Senior Kendrick Flaherty's strike was the deciding goal in the second overtime, but the Tigers incurred three significant injuries in the match which played a huge role in the outcome of the region final, as Manual would advance 3-2 and end the Tigers season. Seniors Patrick Walz, Tommy Schrepferman, and Kendrick Flaherty were named to the all-region team.