The Bishop Hendricken boys’ soccer team concluded its 2015 fall season with an overall record of 10-3-3, and senior midfielder Christian Kirby was a big reason why. 

It comes as no surprise that Kirby is this year’s Beacon Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year. 

He was tremendous defensively at midfield and was tied for second on the Hawks in goals with seven. 

“He was a guy that we built our whole team around,” Hendricken head coach Michael Rooney said. “He was instrumental in holding down the defensive midfield, but also scored a lot of goals for us.” 

Every team has an irreplaceable piece to it. For Hendricken, that piece was Kirby. If Kirby wasn’t there, Hendricken would have likely struggled in areas where Kirby provided tremendous stability. 

“He was the glue that kept everything together,” Rooney said of his 2015 captain. 

Now, Rooney and the Hendricken soccer program will face the tough task of moving forward without Kirby, a player who modeled consistency during his career. 

The Hawks posted their highest win total since 2011, and Kirby had a big hand in that due to his outstanding play and leadership qualities. 

“He was a quiet kid, but showed his leadership through his playing ability,” Rooney said. “He wasn’t a real rah-rah guy, but all of the kids respected him.” 

“It’s going to be very difficult,” Rooney said when asked how he would replace Kirby. “You get players that come along like that every once in a while.”

-M.M.

HONORABLE MENTION

Cam Skuce, WV

Alexis Beltran, TG

Ryan Costa, WV

Ethan White, Pilgrim

Kyle Brown, TG

Ben Hunt, WV

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mike Rooney, Hendricken

ALL CITY TEAM

Chukwudi Onyejose, BH, F

Chuckwuma Onyejose, BH, F

Kam Murphy, Pilgrim, MF

Josiah Enos, WV, MF

Alex Appolonia, BH, MF

Luke Martin Jourdenais, BH, MF

Craig Conway, BH, D

Kyle McGuire, TG, D

Andrew Pimental, BH, D

Tom Faltus, BH, GK

Connor Haley, TG, D

Liam Strain, Pilgrim, GK