With the start of the 2022 soccer season here upon us, reloading would appear to be one of the best terms to use to describe the University Heights Academy Blazers. After graduating seven seniors from last year’s team, UHA will have several key slots to fill and will be looking to some upcoming young talent to mature very quickly.
The good news for the Blazers is that they have ten players returning who saw action in at least 18 matches last season. Still, there are gonna be some big shoes to fill.
Ethan Alexander, Connor Dill, Will Hancock, Wade Mamoth, Will Maxwell, Mason Price, and Trey Wyatt took with them a combined 130 matches of experience when they picked up their diplomas back in the spring. Dill, as the top scorer on last year’s team, had 20 of the Blazers’ 51 goals in 2021.
The Blazers will likely look to seniors Ethan Hale and Preston Thomas for both leadership and scoring. Hale was second on the team in goals last season with 11, while Thomas was right behind with ten. Hale also came up with 12 assists to lead the Blazers in that category. The duo should give the Blazers a potent 1-2 punch when they are on the attack.
Senior Nic Luckey will also provide valuable experience and leadership on the field for UHA.
One player who could take a big step up and help to fill the big shoes of Connor Dill is sophomore Griffin McCoy. McCoy finished with four goals last season and has the speed and a “go-go” motor to give opposing defenders all kinds of headaches.
Some other names to keep an eye on for UHA will be Logan Miller and Clayton Lester.
Defensively, the questions for the Blazers in 2022 start in goal. Will Maxwell graduated after coming up with 126 saves last season. Sophomore Eli Finch saw action in 11 matches last year and ended up with 25 saves. He figures to come out of the gate getting most of the time in the net for the Blazers.
Ethan Alexander and Wade Mamoth offered a big “presence” on the field for University Heights last year. Filling those roles could be the key to a successful season in 2022.
Look for several young faces to play early and significant roles for the Blazers as the season gets rolling.
The Blazers will get tested right out of the gate to start the new season. UHA opens with a trip to Madisonville Tuesday night to take on the Maroons, who many believe to be the regional favorites going into the season.
In addition to their district matchups, the Blazers’ schedule includes Calloway County, Ohio County, Owensboro, Apollo, and Henderson County.
