After a scoreless draw against Gerstell on Thursday, coach Donnie Kwedar did his best to keep his team’s spirits high — even as disappointment was written across their faces following a hard-fought game.
“We’re right where we want to be,” he pleaded with his guys. “We didn’t lose, we learned.”
Still locked in and replaying every moment from the match was senior goalkeeper Jaxon Vanderhoof, fresh off an 11-save performance. While the Lions, the defending Class 1A state champions, struggled to find the back of the net, Kwedar was right about his team.
Not only did they learn, but they also sent a message: This title defense will be spearheaded by the defense, a unit that can more than hold its own.
“I believe our defense is one of the best in the business,” Kwedar said. “It’s early and everyone is already so cohesive. We played tough throughout.”
Returning after last season’s state title, Vanderhoof already has 13 saves in two games. Every time Gerstell threatened, the Lions remained calm and confident, knowing No. 0 was back there to anchor a strong unit.
“He’s got it,” one spectator said, unimpressed, as a Falcons midfielder fired a strike toward the goal — a shot that Vanderhoof stopped with ease. Already a first-team All-County selection, the senior credits his improvement to the time spent with his teammates.
“It’s the pasta parties and going to people’s houses, really the time you spend as a team that makes a difference,” he said. “The more I’m with my teammates and the more I play with them, we understand each other more, and that helps me play better.”
Kwedar is usually quiet and reserved on the sideline, largely because Vanderhoof and his fellow captains do most of the talking. With a counter to every Gerstell attack, the Lions communicated and organized the defense, forcing the Falcons into uncomfortable and sloppy offensive sets.
“They make sure everyone’s got their man marked and that everyone’s where they’re supposed to be,” Kwedar said of his captains. “Everyone’s starting to get on board.”
The early-season tests continue for the Lions as they next face Towson on Friday, followed by a Tuesday showdown with Urbana — a team that, like Liberty, won a regional title last season.
“We’ve got some young guys that we’re using to fill the holes we have,” Liberty’s Cooper Geidel said. “We’re getting better and building.”
In addition to stars like Vanderhoof, Geidel plays a pivotal role as well, rounding out the team and making the unit more formidable as they lean on his experience to guide the younger Lions.
“I know what it’s like to be a sophomore on varsity and be a new kid on the team — it can get scary,” Vanderhoof said. “So part of my job is making sure they feel comfortable and welcome.”
The Lions will surely get more comfortable as the offense settles in and begins making the strides Kwedar and his players believe are coming. For now, they’ll rely on their defense — a unit that strikes fear and sets the tone for a program hungry for a return to the top.
“We have our captains meetings, and when I look them dead in the eye, I can see that they want this,” Kwedar said. “The expectation is to do what we did last year: always take a step forward every night, regardless of what the score says.”
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