The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Gergye, seniors make Bay proud
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bay Rockets. The four seniors had other plans. And they led the way that makes Coach Bobby Dougherty proud.
The group of Cade Gergye, Kevin Linder, Jack Graham and Sean Dougherty led a young Rockets group to a Division II state semifinal before losing, 3-2, in a shootout to Revere on Nov. 7 at Strongsville.
Gergye, arguably the top player in Ohio, scored a goal to give the Rockets a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute.
But his career comes to an end. A career in which he made program history.
“A senior, I was teaching these young kids how to play soccer and play it right,” Gergye said. “With the Band of Brothers on your back, it’s really tough. But us four seniors taught them the right way and these next couple years, they are going to do just fine.”
Gergye ends his Rockets career with 31 goals and 32 assists as a senior – the first in program history with 20plus goals and 20-plus assists in a season.
Dougherty said the Rockets going 18-2-2 and making it this far wasn’t supposed to be in the cards.
“These are my boys,” he said. “I started coaching them when they were four, five years old. It’s brutal. My son is in the age group and he didn’t get in the game tonight. We’ll have a sad moment before we get out of here, but I couldn’t be prouder. This was a rebuilding
year. When you look at our roster, we had a bunch of babies rolling around.”
Linder played his heart out throughout the game, trying to stymie a strong Revere attack.
And Graham was always a trustworthy midfielder for Dougherty.
The seniors were part of state finalist teams in 2017 and 2015.
The Bay Rockets are known as a soccer school with contending expectations. This group didn’t disappoint. And Gergye’s performances will be a standard every other kid will
dream to meet in the following years.
“I left a big impact,” Gergye said. “Not only with my scoring ability but just the heart I leave on the field. And the desire to come to every practice and fight like there’s not any more practices left.”
Dougherty is considered one of the top coaches in the state, and the pair of he and Gergye meshed perfectly.
“It was an experience that I think everyone should and want to ride,” Gergye said. “Unfortunately, some people don’t. But for us who do, we can’t take it for granted. We just had to enjoy it all.”