Axel Lorentzen never took the field for C. Milton Wright boys soccer’s state semifinal and championship victories.
He’d been there all season, driving a team-best 20 goals into the net and powering the Mustangs to countless dominant victories. But for their two most important games of the season, he only watched from the sidelines with a brace on his knee and crutches beneath his arms.
The senior forward suffered a season-ending injury in practice leading up to C. Milton Wright’s semifinal contest. After the initial shock, teammates and coaches pondered if they had what it took to overcome such a loss. Doubt crept in. A Lorentzen speech assured them.
“I might not be able to play, but you guys got this,” the senior told the group. “I made sure I came to every practice and game. I had to be there.”
The Aegis boys soccer Player of the Year, Lorentzen’s touch was felt in more ways than one. He’s a “big game player,” according to coach Eric Riedlbauer, who never let pressure of monumental games affect his concentration on a singular focus — scoring. Perhaps more than any goal or assist throughout the season, his presence over the last week of the year that loomed large in the Mustangs’ state title proved how far his impact reached.
“For him to come back, we fed off that,” Riedlbauer said. “That’s where his leadership as a captain came in, showing it’s not just about him and we all have to pick it up. He’s a true leader. He’s such a big part of the team.”
The coach, looking back at his senior forward’s season, identifies two games that best displayed Lorentzen’s talents.
First, an 8-1 early regular season nonconference win where Lorentzen didn’t tally a goal or assist. He knew he wouldn’t need to and took the chance to get others involved. Riedlbauer contrasts that with C. Milton Wright’s 3-0 victory in the regional final. Lorentzen scored all three goals, pushing the Mustangs closer to the state title with one of his best performances of the season.
“He scored when we needed it most,” Riedlbauer said. “He was the guy we looked to in the big moments, in the big games. He could handle the pressure.”
A youthful innocence exudes from Lorentzen when he ponders where that comes from. He’s truly unsure.
“I don’t really get nervous going into games,” Lorentzen said. “I’m not sure if that’s just me not realizing how big some games are or what it is, but I guess I just kind of step up when I need to. I just love the feeling of scoring in those big games.”
Lorentzen led the Mustangs to a 15-2 record in games he played. He jumped from two goals his junior season to 20 this year, a mark he said he felt sure he’d be able to reach after two preseason scrimmages. C. Milton Wright lost both of them, but Lorentzen left them “feeling great” and confident a monstrous offensive output was in his future.
There was more motivating him. One of his C. Milton Wright assistant coaches held the team record for goals in a season with 17.Lorentzen’s playful smack talk increased as he neared his coach’s benchmark — the score to break the record came in his postseason, the last game the senior played before his injury.
Still, Lorentzen didn’t leave the team when he easily could have. His words rather than his feet became what delivered motivation. C. Milton Wright found goals from other contributors, and its defense didn’t allow a score all postseason.
“I hope it helped,” Lorentzen says now, reflecting on his post-practice address to the team in the aftermath of his injury. “I hope that made them see that, although I was done, I still had faith.”
All-Aegis first team
Matthew Deily, North Harford, forward, junior
After leading the Hawks to the state semifinals as a sophomore, Deily became one of the area’s top offensive threats as a junior.
Liam Bender, C. Milton Wright, midfielder, sophomore
With seven goals and six assists, Bender fueled an explosive Mustangs attack along with Lorentzen.
Galen Klisiewecz, Bel Air, midfielder, senior
Klisiewecz led a 10-win Bel Air squad this season.
Finn Pantazelos, Patterson Mill, midfielder, senior
Pantazelos scored five goals and three assists while leading the Huskies in minutes played.
Dylan Sayer, Perryville, midfielder, senior
Sayer scored an impressive 22 goals and tallied 12 assists in 11 games.
Aiden Warren, Harford Tech, midfielder, senior
Warren, a four-year varsity starter, led the Cobras to three regional titles and a state championship game appearance over his career.
Gaz Chieffo, Fallston, defender, senior
Chieffo anchored a defense that led the Cougars to a regional semifinal appearance.
Owen Davis, C. Milton Wright, defender, sophomore
Davis anchored a dominant Mustangs back line and added two goals and an assist, including the game winning score in the team’s regional final victory.
Samko Duracka, John Carroll, defender, senior
Duracka was the Patriots’ lone All-MIAA A conference team representative and was a stalwart for their backline.
Reza Mousavi, Patterson Mill, defender, senior
On top of stellar defense, Mousavi added six goals and two assists this season.
Jack Priebe, Harford Tech, defender, junior
Priebe’s skills helped the Cobras post nine shutouts this season.
Dylan Sander, C. Milton Wright, goalkeeper, senior
Sander led a Mustangs defense that posted 12 shutouts this season and didn’t allow a goal throughout the entire state tournament.
All-Aegis second team
Henry Buyse, C. Milton Wright, defender, junior
Liam Carter, John Carroll, goalkeeper, junior
Jamail Holmes, North Harford, midfielder, senior
Paytn Hulbert, Perryville, defender, senior
Charlie Kitz, C. Milton Wright, midfielder, junior
Ariya Khairghadam, Fallston, midfielder, junior
Ben Mroz, C. Milton Wright, forward, sophomore
Cooper Rey, Bel Air, goalkeeper, senior
Brody Smith, Harford Tech, midfielder, junior
Levi Tanguay, Fallston, forward, senior
Tommy Wysong, John Carroll, midfielder, sophomore
Caleb Zerbe, Patterson Mill, forward, junior
