Lake Zurich's Pothast headed in the right direction

When Marquette-bound Eric Pothast steps on the field, he's a big part of the considerable success surrounding the Lake Zurich boys soccer team.

For when he was leading the Bears, Pothast carried with him a strong, easily identifiable work ethic, which was like a torch passed along to his teammates.

For setting a winning example both as a player and a leder, Pothast has been selected to captain the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area Team.

"The thing I admire most about myself is my work ethic," said Pothast, who had 13 goals and 8 assists through Tuesday. "I'm a hard worker and do the dirty stuff for my team.

"Some call it 'The 'Engine,' but I don't know what that means. I just try to work myself very hard and do the little things right, being a leader."

Pothast may not always be the first player to catch the opponent's attention, but he's always working behind the scenes to leave a lasting impression.

"I start the plays, but I don't have the unbelievable stats every week," Pothast said. "I'm consistent with my game and pride myself with my effort.

"I'm not the vocal person, I like to lead by example. I'll say something if I have to, but I like to have fun and joke with these guys. It's more for setting an example for the younger guys."

Creating space in which to operate might be Pothast's best quality while working the Bears' midfield. Nothing seems to faze him as he initiates the attack.

"One of the best players, and glad to work with him," said teammate Nick Janus, who's headed to Wisconsin. "He gives me the space and opens up the middle. I know I can push up and attack."

For the most part, Pothast quietly gets the job done and trusts his training to make the difference.

"(Pothast) is the hardest-working player I've ever coached," Lake Zurich coach Mike Schmitz said. "He's all over the field. He can take the ball and switch fields. He just does things to make the team successful."

When Pothast subtly takes control of the game, some teams sense it. Others don't know until it's too late.

"(Pothast) takes the game to another level," Schmitz added. "There were some flashes of it last year. This year, you can see him dominate and turn on the switch when he needs it."

Pothast doesn't want to take all the credit for the Bears' continued success, especially with several seniors who have known him since the age of 5 surrounding him. That bond has helped build team chemistry and ulimately has a lot to do with the Bears' sustained run of success.

"We got some great camaraderie and we've been friends forever," Pothast said. "We're all so close and we push each other since we know what we're capable of. We all kind of understand each other and have a different personality. It all helps on the field."

Where Pothast usually keeps a low profile. But away from the field, Michigan-bound teammate Tim Kreutz sees a difference in Pothast.

"He can be really quiet, but when he hangs out, you see a different side of him," Kreutz said. "He lets loose when he's not in school. He really talks more than anybody else."

But make no mistake - Pothast is still assertive when he's playing. He just has a different way of showing it.

"He can go up for a header get pulled down and still win the ball," Kreutz added. "He takes the ball down the middle, some guy pulls on his jersey and he can still play a good ball. An overall solid player for us."