[Baltimore Sun] C. Milton Wright boys soccer caps special season with 2A state title
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Incredibly, the goal the C. Milton Wright boys soccer team needed to complete its outstanding playoff run came with 20:01 left to play in Saturday’s Class 2A state title game against Parkside.
All season, the Mustangs have honored their fallen teammate Evan Snyder, who died in June 2023 before his junior year. A starter as a sophomore, he wore No. 20. At the 20th minute mark of each half this season, Mustangs players, coaches and supporters clap in unison to pay tribute.
On Saturday at Loyola Maryland’s Ridley Athletic Complex, senior midfielder Kai Cempura gave the Wright contingent more to clap about.
Taking a short drop from Charlie Kitz just above the penalty area, Cempura hit a heavy strike from 22 yards that deflected off the defender closing in and into the net. The defense, flawless throughout the playoffs, held firm in the remaining time as the No. 8 Mustangs claimed a 1-0 win over the Rams from Wicomico County.
In closing with a 17-2 mark and capturing the program’s third state title, C. Milton Wright outscored its five playoff opponents by a 12-0 margin, with senior goalie Dylan Sander making four saves Saturday to help secure the win.
When the players received their state championship medals, one was given to Snyder’s parents, Derek and Amanda, who celebrated the victory. CMW coach Eric Riedlbauer said Evan, who started as a sophomore, surely would have been a team captain this season.
“So much revolved around Evan, and it just felt like he was there,” Riedlbauer said. “It’s just like he’s got a hand in this. You can’t write a script better than that. What can you say? He would have been a captain on this team this year, and besides being a phenomenal kid, he was also a great soccer player.”
All day, the Mustangs had the better of the play. But without 20-goal scorer Axel Lorentzen, who injured his knee in practice leading up to the state semifinals, they struggled to put away chances.
Finally, Cempura provided the necessary offense with his second goal of the season, both coming in the playoff run.
“It felt surreal. I had a goal against Fallston in [the region playoffs] and it was like I didn’t think it could get better than that,” he said. “And just having it come in the big stage, it was a dream come true.”
In a scoreless first half, the Mustangs had a considerable edge in territory and earned five corner kicks but were unable to break through. Their best chance came during running play in the 14th minute when forward Aiden Powers took a short through ball from Kitz behind the Rams’ defense. But goalie Max Oliver aggressively left the line to cut down the angle from the right side and made a reaction save on Powers’ strike from 8 yards.
To start the second half, the Mustangs stayed persistent, earning several free kicks before Cempura had his most memorable moment on the soccer field.
The Mustangs’ defense — Connor Scurti, Owen Davis, Henry Buyse and Brooks Benson — stayed composed throughout in front of Sander. The team closed on a nine-game winning streak, starting the season with four shutouts and closing the playoffs with five for a total of 12 this season.
“The games we’ve played in and the situations we’ve been in, we were ready for anything to come at us,” Sander said. “I was confident in all the guys. We know how to play.”
As has been the case all season, the amazing conclusion had thoughts of Snyder front and center.
“I think throughout the whole playoffs, we all had it in our heads that Evan was with us,” Sander said. “This would have been his senior year, he would have been a captain and he wanted a state championship so bad. So you can’t describe how good it makes you feel that you did it for him.”
Goals: CMW — Cempura
Assists: CMW — Kitz
Saves: CMW — Sander 4; P — Oliver 3
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