XENIA — The Legacy Christian boys soccer team had a chance to make history at Athletes In Action Sports Complex Friday Night.
The school was a charter member of the Metro Buckeye League formed in 1996 as Xenia Christian. Having changed its school name in 2015, LCA/XC had never won a boys’ soccer championship.
Coming into the game with visiting Emmanuel Christian first-year Coach Pete Burban’s team needed a win to clinch the 2020 title. The Knights wasted no time in making it happen.
Just five minutes after the opening whistle, senior Andrew Bush roped a high-velocity shot into the box. Classmate Josiah Entner redirected it for the opening goal, his 19th of the season.
The Knights proceeded to send a barrage of shots, unofficially 21 on goal, in the first half alone. Four of those found the net for a 4-0 lead at the break. The onslaught continued in the second half, as Legacy cruised to an 8-0 victory.
“We started a new season this year and the kids really had to sacrifice. I had to put them in positions that they had not played before. We needed to play a formation they had not played in. But they were humble, they responded and they accepted the coaching, and worked hard in training,” Burban said. “It’s just been a joy to walk through this journey with them.”
The team has adopted well to Burban’s “Euro style” of play, which requires formational discipline, completing short passes, and selfless attitude.
“It’s fun,” said freshman midfielder Parker Burke. “We play the Italian style. My job is to find runners with diagonal passes. It’s different than I have played before. We are really happy to win (the championship).”
Entner finished with three goals and Burke added a pair to bring his season total to 10.
“Some of the most successful soccer is triangle passing,” Burban said. “ I told the guys, with your talent, if you go forward with that, we will find success.”
Legacy finished league play with a 3-0-1 record and stands 11-1-1 overall. The will play in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III Southwest sectional tournament beginning the week of Oct. 19.
Before that, the Knights will close the regular season next week with two non-league matches, Tuesday on the road against Catholic Central and Thursday at home with Newton.
