The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Gergye hopes to lead Bay to title
Rockets junior has 22 goals and 13 assists
It’s no surprise the Bay Rockets are in a Division II state semifinal for the fifth time in six years when they face Aurora on Nov. 8 at Strongsville High School.
But it might be a surprise that they feature a junior forward who has produced over 20 goals. Why? Not because Cade Gergye doesn’t have the talent to do so — but because it hasn’t happened in 20plus seasons at Bay.
With 22 goals and 13 assists, Gergye is responsible for 70 percent of the Rockets’ goals this season. A first-team Greater Cleveland and Great Lakes Conference player, Gergye has been instrumental in Bay being back in the final four.
“It’s definitely very special,” Gergye said about his milestone. “But nothing will mean more to us if we make it to Columbus. My teammates giving me opportunities to give me that many goals is awesome.”
Gergye is smooth on the ball as a center midfielder and is dominating in the air. He missed three
“Now he’s playing like a man. He’s a big 6-foot-2 forward with a nasty left foot, but he can go to his right. And he’s got a great header” — Bay coach Bobby Dougherty speaking about Cade Gergye
games this season with a concussion but still remained the Rockets’ leading points getter.
A player who can create for scoring opportunities for himself and others — he’s done it playing through one of the most difficult nonconference schedules in the state. Coach Bobby Dougherty spoke glowingly about his junior after the Rockets’ 4-2 win over Ontario in a regional semifinal.
“Last year, he had a seven-inch growth spurt and was awkward,” he said. “Now he’s playing like a man. He’s a big 6-foot-2 forward with a nasty left foot, but he can go to his right. And he’s got a great header. He’s got the size to hold you off after he beats you, where in years past he got ran over because he just wasn’t strong enough. We play a stupid schedule where we don’t normally have 20, 30 or 40 goal scorers. Most of our games are 2-1. Tonight’s score wasn’t even normal.”
Dougherty is considered one of the top soccer whisperers in the state — notoriously known for milking every ounce of potential out of his athletes, no matter how talented they may be.
Gergye spoke well of his coach.
“It’s been awesome having him as my coach,” Gergye said. “He’s been coaching me since I was 5 or 6 years old. Him and his assistant coaches have taught me so much that I don’t think I could have gotten from any other high school coach or even Academy coach. He’s just a great guy on and off the field. He knows what we need to do to prepare for these games.”
Gergye tasted a state finals berth in his freshman season and regionals as a sophomore, which is perhaps the biggest advantage for him and the Rockets.
“Us having experience within the past couple of years is definitely good for us,” he said. “We’ve learned that we don’t want to take anything for granted, even though we’ve been there two years ago my freshman year when I first started. We want to cherish it all and know that anything that could go wrong for us and anything could go right.”
Aurora (14-3-4) wiped out Hawken, 5-0, in a regional final and didn’t allow a shot on goal. The Greenmen have won six in a row.
After a 1-4-1 start, the Rockets have ripped off 15 straight wins. Dougherty’s mantra at Bay has always been “Let’s practice for one more day,” and if a state championship is in the cards, they will want to close the season on a 17game winning streak.
Gergye isn’t playing for just himself and family — that “Bay” script on his jersey has a deep meaning to him.
“It would be a whole lot to win a state title, not just for us but our whole community,” Gergye said. “To bring home a state championship, Bobby Dougherty has never done that. He’s been there six times, once my freshman year. It would be so much to our community.”