Lehman Catholic freshman Colt Courtad works his way around Piqua’s Ty Pettus during a nonconference game on Thursday at Wertz Stadium in Piqua. Courtad, the son of coach Erich Courtad, scored the Cavaliers’ goal in a 2-1 loss to Piqua in a season opener.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Lehman Catholic junior defender Alex Lundy, right, collides with Piqua’s Max Kaye during a nonconference game on Thursday at Wertz Stadium in Piqua.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Lehman Catholic junior defender Luke Courtad goes up for a header in front of Piqua’s Ty Pettus during a nonconference game on Thursday at Wertz Stadium in Piqua.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Lehman Catholic junior defender Gus Schmiesing looks to get past Piqua’s Quintin Bachman during a nonconference game on Thursday at Wertz Stadium in Piqua. Schmiesing is one of 11 returning players for the Cavaliers, which finished 1-14-1 last season.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
PIQUA — Lehman Catholic’s boys soccer team didn’t wait long to show improvement from last year. The Cavaliers are hoping that improvement will lead to more wins.
Lehman Catholic lost 2-1 to Piqua in a season opener on Thursday at Wertz Stadium. Though it was a defeat, the Cavaliers fought after falling behind 2-0 early and nearly tied it in the second half.
It was a far closer matchup than last year, when the Indians defeated the Cavaliers 10-0 in an early-season nonconference game in Sidney.
“I couldn’t be happier with my guys,” Lehman coach Erich Courtad said. “We put everything on the line. It’s been a tough year, and tonight was awesome. We’re right there; we’re right where we need to be.”
The Cavaliers finished 1-14-1 last year in Courtad’s first season. Aside from a late-season 3-1 victory over a 2-win Lima Central Catholic squad and a tie against a winless Fairlawn team, the Cavaliers often lost in lopsided fashion.
“Last year was an awesome year for learning,” Courtad said. “I stepped into a program that hadn’t been a program for a long time. A lot of the guys didn’t know what real soccer was. Just teaching them little techniques and learning tactical things they can do with their skills (was the focus).”
It looked early like Thursday could have resulted in a lopsided result, as the Indians scored both their goals in the first 20 minutes of the first half.
But the Cavaliers fought off several shots by Piqua and controlled the ball more themselves through the rest of the first half and into the second. Freshman midfielder Colt Courtad (one of two sons Erich Courtad has on the team) scored about 25 minutes into the second half on a long kick that slowly arched into the back of the net.
Another long shot by Lehman about 10 minutes later nearly made it into the net but skirted just over the top left corner.
“After that second goal, I thought we owned that game,” Erich Courtad said. “We just couldn’t put another one in to even it out. …I’m pretty proud of (Colt Courtad). He’s been a big asset for us.
“… We’re doing the right things, we just have to learn to finish a little bit better. That will come. We didn’t get many chances to finish last year, so even having chances is a start.”
Eleven players (two seniors, eight juniors and one sophomore) have returned from last season and three freshmen have joined. Two players from Spain are expected to join once the eligibility paperwork is cleared.
“We’re using what skills we have to the best of our ability, and we’re making it work,” Courtad said. “We’re excited for the rest of the season.”
Senior defender Gus Schmiesing, junior goalkeeper Collin Potts and junior midfielder Cole Bostick (who was absent Thursday) are the team’s captains.
Courtad said Schmiesing the junior players have been strong through summer and preseason training.
“Pretty much the entire junior class (has stood out),” Courtad said. “From where they came as sophomores, they have stepped up. They’re leaders, they feel like they’re upperclassmen now; they know it. All eight of those guys and Gus, leading our back line, have been fantastic.”
Thursday’s game was a part of the Atlantis Cup, a tournament Piqua has organized for the first time. Lehman is scheduled to face Dayton Ponitz in the consolation game on Saturday morning at Wertz Stadium. The Cavaliers are scheduled to travel to Miami East on Monday for their first Three Rivers Conference game.
Reach Bryant Billing at 937-538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.
