2023 Dispatch All-Metro: Who are the best boys soccer players in central Ohio?
Three players who guided their teams to the state tournament highlight the 2023 Dispatch All-Metro boys soccer team.
The Athlete of the Year in each sport — 30 in all — will be announced at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards in June. Each member of the All-Metro boys soccer team will receive a free ticket to that live event, where nine premier awards also will be announced, including boys and girls overall athletes of the year, boys and girls overall coaches of the year, boys and girls overall teams of the year, courage award, school spirit award and lifetime achievement award.
All-Metro Coach of the Year: Worthington Christian players revere Dan Roads
Ryko Bodurov, Olentangy Berlin
The senior forward led the Bears (13-3-4) to one of their best seasons, recording 23 goals and nine assists as Berlin lost to Olentangy in a Division I district final. Bodurov was named OCC-Cardinal Player of the Year and first team all-district and all-state.
Owen Cousens, Tree of Life
A senior center back on the Trojans’ dominant defense, Cousens nevertheless scored 24 goals and assisted on 22 more to lead Tree of Life (19-1-1) to its first district championship and a Division III regional semifinal. Cousens was named Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League Player of the Year for the second time. Tree of Life outscored its opponents 90-13.
Aidan Gordon, Olentangy Liberty
A senior forward, Gordon had 17 goals and 15 assists to lead the Patriots (13-2-6) to second place in the OCC-Central and a Division I district runner-up finish. Gordon was named first-team all-league and all-district and second-team all-state.
Luke Hanlon, Olentangy
The senior forward paced the Braves to their best season in 17 years despite missing several games with an injury. Hanlon had 10 goals and nine assists and was named first-team all-OCC-Cardinal and first-team all-district and all-state in Division I. Olentangy (16-2-2) won its first district championship since 2006 and was ranked as high as fourth statewide during the regular season.
Kaden Kist, New Albany
The senior midfielder and Denison commit finished his high school career with a flourish, earning OCC-Ohio and Division I district Player of the Year honors as he led the Eagles (16-5-2) to a fourth consecutive regional final. Kist, who also was named first-team all-state and played 88 of a possible 92 games in his four seasons, had nine goals and 16 assists.
Drew Martin, Bexley
A senior goalie, Martin earned Central Buckeye League Player of the Year as well as first-team all-district and all-state in Division II after posting seven shutouts and never allowing more than a goal in any game after a 3-0 season-opening loss. Bexley (13-4-2), the 2022 state runner-up, lost to Watterson 1-0 in overtime in a district final.
Jack Maust, Dublin Jerome
The senior midfielder had eight goals and seven assists in leading the Celtics (12-4-5) to a third consecutive Division I district championship. Maust, who had 29 goals and 19 assists in his career, was named first-team all-OCC-Cardinal and all-district and second-team all-state.
Emmett O’Brien, Upper Arlington
A senior forward and OCC-Central co-Player of the Year, O’Brien set program records for goals (22) and assists (11) in leading the Golden Bears (13-2-4) to the league championship and a fifth consecutive Division I district runner-up finish. The Denison commit was named first-team all-district and second-team all-state.
Sammy Owusu Sarfo, Worthington Christian
The senior forward and Division III district and state Player of the Year led the Warriors (18-3-3) to within a win of their first state championship in 12 years. Owusu Sarfo scored a team-leading 28 goals, including the only tally in a district final win over two-time defending state champion Grandview Heights, and the team won its first regional title since 2013.
Caleb Redding, Fairfield Union
The senior forward’s 29 goals and 36 assists, both single-season program records, led the Falcons (18-3-1) to a Division II Southeast District championship and regional runner-up finish. A first-team all-MSL-Buckeye and all-district and second-team all-state selection, Redding also holds team records for points in a season (94) and career goals (85), assists (61) and points (231).
Ryan Sullivan, St. Charles
A sophomore midfielder who made his mark largely as a defender, Sullivan was a linchpin in St. Charles’ first regional championship since 2016. Sullivan had eight goals and six assists and was named first-team all-CCL and all-district and second-team all-state in Division I. The Cardinals (11-8-2) fell to then-nationally top-ranked Cincinnati Moeller 1-0 in a state semifinal.
Jordan Vais, Watterson
A lockdown defender, the senior played a huge part in Watterson’s deepest postseason run in nine years. Vais earned first-team all-CCL and all-state in Division II and was district Player of the Year as the Eagles (13-6-4) advanced to a state semifinal, falling 2-1 in double overtime to eventual champion Tipp City Tippecanoe.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here is the 2023 Dispatch All-Metro boys soccer team
