The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
New look, same Rocket expectations
Bay still expects state appearance even after graduating 14 seniors from last year’s state final team
The standard has long been set at Bay’s soccer program.
Nothing less than a state appearance is acceptable.
The Rockets have made it to the state final four times in the past nine years, losing all four to Columbus DeSales. Last year’s 4-0 loss to DeSales in the Division II finals still stings. As it should. But there’s a bit of a different look to Bay’s roster in 2018: They are young. After losing 14 seniors, the Rockets return a fairly inexperienced group.
But the standard that’s been set under coach Bobby Dougherty isn’t going to change. It will never change.
“Our coaches don’t expect anything less than a state championship,” said senior Cade Gergye, who led Bay with 22 goals and 16 assists last season. “Especially with how we’re looking this offseason, we’re looking like a state contender this year.
“Our expectations are to have our underclassmen step up and fill bigger roles. Losing 14 seniors, everyone else is going to have to pick up a little bit more than they did last year.”
Gergye suffered a bone contusion in his right knee from playing basketball in June that he’s recovering from, but he was back for the start of the season on Aug. 17 when the Rockets hosted Westlake. The teams played to a 1-1 draw.
He is the reigning coMorning Journal boys soccer player of the year and earned a first-team All-Ohio nod. He was the first Bay Rocket in over 20 years to score more than 20 goals in a season.
But evidenced by his 16 assists, Gergye isn’t a onetrick pony on the pitch. He can do it all and is primed for an even better season. Dougherty said he will become the face of the program and could average a goal a game.
“I’ve been picked captain this year,” Gergye said. “I’ve taken a big role being a team leader. We’re going to keep the ball really well and wear the other team out. We have three starting freshmen that are going to have big roles for us.”
Dougherty, one of the most decorated coaches in the state, is a little unsure about what’s in store for his Rockets. Bay, like last year, starts with a brutal schedule. After opening with the Demons, they clash in a state finals rematch at home with DeSales on Aug. 25, host St. Edward two days later before matching up with Great Lakes Conference rival Rocky River Aug. 29 and Revere Sept. 1. The good news — their first seven matches are at home.
Bay is a historically great possession team, and Dougherty thinks they’ve improved technically. But again, there’s one problem — they’re young, with only four seniors.
“Initially, you look at us on paper and say ‘Oh Bay is going to have a rough year,” Dougherty said. “The middle of our pack is really good and now it’s just the young guys who are figuring out where to go and how they are going to play for us.”
There are going to be bumps along the way, and people may doubt the Rockets similar to their 1-4 start last year. But like most Dougherty teams, they want to hit their stride in mid October through November.
“We want to play that last game,” Dougherty added. “When you ask any of our players, that’s their expectation. It doesn’t change year to year. Our expectation is we’re going to fight like dogs to get to that point. And with a lot of luck, that’s what we expect to happen. But in the meantime, we know we have to train and get better. We’re not good enough right now, but in another two months? Yeah.”