Marquette Hilltoppers finding their identity early in soccer season
MILWAUKEE (BVM) — The Marquette University High School boys soccer team entered the 2021 season as the reigning state champions and as a favorite to repeat.
Last year, the Hilltoppers went 12-0-2 en route to their 15th state title since 2000. MUHS was also ranked No. 2 in the nation by United Soccer Coaches and featured the state player of the year, Gabe Anguil, along with four other all-state honorees.
However, this season does come with some challenges as Anguil and three of the team’s all-state players have graduated, leaving openings on the perennial powerhouse’s roster that have to be filled. Luckily, Marquette has plenty of players who are ready to step up.
“It’s a good group,” Hilltoppers head coach Steve Lawrence said. “We got a lot of new faces out on the field with some guys that got some decent minutes last year… Sky’s the limit with this group.”
To reach those limits, Marquette has been working on finding a new identity after losing a strong senior group led by Anguil.
“When you know you have a great player around you it’s easy to watch them do things,” Lawrence said. “It’s easy to have him bail you out of situations that maybe most players can’t bail you out of.”
Losing a player like Anguil allows the entire team a chance to step up and the culture at Marquette is supportive of that.
“Those guys like Gabe have kind of shown what it takes to get to that next level,” Lawrence said.
The Hilltopper coaching staff has spent a lot of time focusing on senior leadership, making sure that those who are at the top of the program prepare the younger athletes who will one day take on the role of seniors leaders. It is a big reason why Marquette has been able to have their continued success. Freshmen enter the program expecting to win but learn quickly what winning requires.
“We have to hold ourselves to a high standard every year,” Lawrence said. “It takes strong leadership to pass that on and make sure we don’t get complacent. … The guys expect to have success when they come here so it’s our job to teach them that this doesn’t just happen.”
This year it has been seniors like Miguel Gonzalez, Sam Magner, Valentin Sandoval and junior goalkeeper CJ Deslongchamps who have taken on leadership roles as younger players continue to step up showing the depth of the Hilltoppers this season.
“We’ve got a ton of depth on this team,” Lawrence said. “When we sub in there’s no dropoff.”
The depth and ability to sub constantly to get fresh legs into the game is one the reasons Marquette has tried to up the pressure they put on their opponents.
“We’re still definitely forming our identity but I think one thing we’re really harping on is trying to play more high press soccer,” Lawrence said.
The instant they lose the ball, the Hilltoppers want to be on top of it and try to get the ball back in their opponent’s half. To get past Marquette, teams will have to play one or two touch soccer if they want to move the ball before a Hilltopper is pressuring them.
This style of play can maximize a team’s chances to score goals and cause turnovers, but it also requires a strong foundation in the defense that gives the attacking players the confidence that anything that does get past them will be picked up by the back line.
“That has been a driving factor on why we want to play this way more because we definitely feel that our back line is really strong,” Lawrence said.
Magner returns as the lead center back with junior Liam Nelson next to him and Deslongchamps in goal creating the foundation for their high pressure game plan.
It’s the start to the Hilltoppers forming a new identity that they hope will carry them to the state championship.
“Winning a state championship is our ultimate goal,” Lawrence said.
While they work towards that ultimate goal, they will also be trying to accomplish side goals that include representing both their school and state on the national stage. Each season, Marquette travels across the country, playing some of the best high school teams in the nation.
“It’s kind of two fun little seasons within the season that keep the guys motivated,” Lawrence said. “You get a sense of pride representing your school and really show what soccer in our state is all about.”
It has become a part of their identity every year and although this specific team is still figuring out the rest of that identity, they are ready to live up to what Marquette soccer represents every year.
