Boys soccer: Fremd's Sapiente, Schoffstall looking forward to senior seasons
Ryan Sapiente and Eli Schoffstall have been friends, and soccer teammates for a long time, and the two Fremd stars have been looking forward to this, their final high school season for just as long of a time.
The Vikings' duo is part of what appears to be a club that is filled with quality, depth, and plenty of experience in advance of the 2021 campaign in which both Sapiente and Schoffstall both feel will have a happy ending.
"Last season was disappointing for two reasons," said Sapiente. "We lost our first two games in conference, one of which was to Barrington, and that pretty much ended our chances in the division and because of the pandemic, there wasn't a state series.
"This year, if we stay healthy, train and work hard, I feel like this team is built to get to the Soccer Bowl, then have a great run in the state playoffs."
Schoffstall, who made his mark with the big club as a freshman, is the last of four brothers: Luke, Zach, and most recently, Jake, the 2019 Daily Herald All-Area captain, currently playing at Bradley University, who each helped the Vikings lift plenty of hardware during their prep days.
"I'm the last Schoffstall-soccer playing brother, so I want to make it the best for me, and my team," said Eli Schoffstall, who has enjoyed success on the hardwood as well as the Vikings' shooting guard, and sometimes at the point.
"With Ryan, and myself, there's 6-7 of us who have been playing together, and with a couple guys coming back from club, I really feel this will be the most technical team in my four years, and one that will be able to play a lot of 1-2 touch, and possession, while being real dangerous in our attack."
"We had a good team last year, but this season, we have three coming over from club, plus players like Will Mayer, Joey Rodino and Leo Akashi, who gained a lot of experience as sophomores, and who really look ready to make a big contribution this season," said Sapiente.
Fremd coach Steve Keller and his staff have come to expect first-class performance from this three-year starter who is everything you need in a left outside-back - pace, composure, defensive intelligence, the ability to get forward, while also providing superb service.
The Vikings have been home to some of the best attackers during Keller's tenure, but in Schoffstall he has a player who is aggressive, on and off the ball, hassling the opposition in its own end, reads the game well, while having the ability to score in tight spaces, and at times, in spectacular fashion witnessed by game-winners bagged in 2019 over Libertyville then Warren in sectional play.
"With Leo and Will and myself in a 4-3-3 formation, we could be real dangerous in our attack. It could a very exciting season for all of us," said Schoffstall.