Brush playing in fallen teammate’s honor

Two of Alec Kornet’s athletic families have played on after the Brush junior’s death this past February from sudden cardiac arrest, as his hockey and baseball teammates did their utmost to honor his memory.

Now it’s time for his third athletic family to follow suit this fall — and judging by the early going, they’re motivated to make it count.

The Brush boys soccer side improved to 7-2-1 and kept itself in a tight Western Reserve Conference title conversation “They come out, and they with give 100 percent for Alec, a 2-1 comefrom-behind for each other. They’re all a great group of guys, mostly win Sept. 18 seniors, as you can see from at Kenston. our roster. They’ve grown together,

It was a and they push hard less-thanideal for each other. They get on opening each other in a positive way, half from and I think it’s helped us dig the Arcs, but some of these games out. an inspired second 40. “We haven’t really taken

Inspiration isn’t difficult it to any teams. It’s been 1-0, to find for Brush, as 2-1 — really close games. Kornet’s influence is clear. And I think playing for his In warmups, players sport memory and stuff with the gray shirts with “4 Alec” on boys, they take it up a notch the back, and his jersey is when we’re down and they brought to every match. play hard.”

“It’s all on the boys,” Arcs Last fall, Brush went 115-2 coach Mike DiMatteo said. with a potent attack led by seniors Brett Gordon, a first-team News-Herald allstar (18 goals, 14 assists), and Ben Bolinger (10 goals, 11 assists, second-team N-H all-star) and a sturdy defensive-third group led by senior Bradley Heiss and junior Adam Turk.

Turk returns as a steady force in the side, as does Bryce Gordon, whose rapid development from a sixgoal, five-assist campaign last fall has been evident into one of this area’s premier all-around forces in the offensive third.

Gordon’s technical skill and pace allow him to be a facilitator for his teammates and for himself. He netted the match-winner at Kenston with a well-placed free kick near post in the 60th minute.

“It’s a bit different from last year,” Gordon said. “It’s a huge transition, but we worked really hard this year to get where we’re at right now. And I’m liking where we’re at right now. We’re moving people here and there, but we have a solid midfield, and we’re doing what we need to do.”

Particularly in memory of a friend.

Kornet’s parents, who have established the 4Alec Foundation in their son’s honor, were in attendance for the Kenston match.

His memory isn’t far from anyone’s minds at Brush — and his influence remains steadfast.

“It’s extremely special (to play in his honor),” Gordon said. “This is all for him. This is why I’m here and everyone else is here. We want to redeem ourselves from last year (after a Division I district semifinal loss to Riverside) and do what we need to do.

“And we know Alec wanted us to win the conference championship — any championship. And we’re going to do it for him. That’s why we’re here.”

Kornet