Raiders ready to meet challenges that come with being defending state champions

QUINCY — The hype began before the first practice took place.

So the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer players know what’s coming.

The Raiders’ season opens Monday with an epic matchup — defending Class 1A state champion QND traveling to Peoria to face defending Class 2A state champion Peoria Notre Dame. The Irish have dubbed it “Peoria City Night,” as members of the Peoria City USL2 soccer team will be on hand to help celebrate the sport.

It puts a spotlight on the game, but also on the teams themselves.

The Raiders expect that every time they take the field.

“The whole goal is to repeat,” QND senior forward Leo Cann said. “Every team we play knows we’re the defending state champs, so they’re going to have it out for blood. Every single game, we’re going to have to bring everything because they are going to want to say they beat the state champions.”

This QND team is decidedly different, yet uniquely talented which makes repeating as state champion a challenge and a possibility all in one.

A dynamic senior class graduated, sending one all-stater to play at an NCAA Division I institution, another to a NCAA Division II program and two others to play different sports in college. All told, 10 players from the team that went 19-6-2 and won the fourth state title in program are gone.

Yet, there’s a surprising wealth of experience returning.

Cann scored 22 goals and was the perfect complement to Tanner Anderson, QND’s career goal-scoring leader who is now playing at Saint Louis University with his older brother, Seth. In goal is senior Max Frericks, who posted nine shutouts last season and is entertaining NCAA Division I interest.

In between the two is where the Raiders will have to grow.

Junior midfielder Rylan Fischer, junior defender Brody Jones and sophomore defender Channing Trevino each played a role last season, but they will be expected to be more of a force this fall. Sophomore forward Nolan Heck needs to emerge as a goal scorer, and a host of others will need to fill spots in the midfield.

The intriguing part is all of them showed up for practice in shape and ready to run.

“This is probably one of the most in-shape teams I have ever been a part of,” Frericks said.

That allows legendary QND coach Greg Reis, who begins his 28th season six victories shy of 400 for his career, to tinker with lineups.

“We made changes during the season last year to our defense and it worked,” Frericks said. “Our team will be able to make changes and adapt throughout the year.”

They will adapt to Frericks being more of a vocal leader in back.

“I need to start getting into people, letting them know I’m back there, letting them know what I want out of them,” Frericks said. “I had to do a little bit of that last year, but those guys knew the whole system. This year, I’ll have to do more to get guys in the right mindset.”

The same holds true up top for Cann. He finds himself in a new role as a striker, one who is the defensive target. That was Anderson last season, who finished with 32 goals as a senior and 100 for his career.

“I’ll be the guy Tanner was last year getting double-teamed and attacked defensively,” Cann said. “There needs to be a guy like I was last year, making runs off me and getting a lot more goals.”

Heck could be that guy.

“He has to bury the chances when he has them,” Cann said.

Others will need to as well to take pressure off Cann, Heck and whoever else emerges as a threat. To do so, they have to be strong on and off the ball.

“Of course, we have to mentally prepare,” Cann said. “But more than anything, we need to physically prepare. Our top 11 need to be solid. We need to bring everything every single game. Injuries might screw us, but if we avoid injuries, I think we can get it done.”

Cann has complete faith that will be the case in back with Frericks.

“It helps so much knowing we’re in good hands all the time,” Cann said. “One-on-ones, he’s great. Saving ability, he’s great. Free kicks, he’s great. Anything in the box is his. He’s talking a lot more this year. His goal-saving ability is insane. He’s definitely going to be a Division I player.”

First, though, there’s a title to defend. The target on QND’s back is clear, but the Raiders insist they can handle that. 

“It’s a matter of getting it done,” Frericks said. “We know what it takes. It’s time to go do it.”