The Knights put together a remarkable run to the Class 2A state championship game. Though they fell short of the ultimate goal with a 3-1 loss to Damascus. The question for 2024 is: Can they carry that momentum into the new season?

The run came after a subpar regular season where the team finished 6-7-1 overall and 3-3 in conference. Yet, despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Stephen Hurst, then in his first year coaching the Knights, made sure to emphasize that improvement can be made until the final minutes of a season.

“Last year it was emphasized to continue to improve as a team,” Hurst said when talking about the mentality of the team going into the playoffs.

Hurst feels there are a multitude of ways this team can move forward mentally after ending last season the way they did. One way could be to see this season as a totally new season. Another way could be to see the success the team had last season and carry that momentum into the next.

“It’s a little bit of both,” he said. “[The players] look at it as a new season but they also want to build on it.”

Century is no stranger to reaching the mountain top. Last year marked 20 years since their first state title in 2003. The Knights grabbed their second more recently in 2019, outdueling La Plata in a 1-0 victory. Though none of the current players and coaches were a part of those championship winning teams, being within reach last season makes this squad that much more determined to get back to the final.

One of the bright spots of the Knights run last season was Nick McGhin.

The electric goal scorer finished last season with 26 goals and four assists, including a hat trick in the semifinals against Queen Anne’s that punched the ticket to the state finals. What stands out about McGhin’s goals was that none were scored from a set piece or penalty kick. All of McGhin’s goals were scored in the field of play.

“One of his challenges now, as a senior, is to encourage the younger players coming up, as a leader. He doesn’t get too high and doesn’t get too low,” Hurst conveyed. “He is a good leader by example.”

The second-year Century coach went on to say that McGhin has a target on his back, given the success his star player had last season. Luckily for the Knights, they have a cavalry of key players to help contribute to the squad.

Century had five players last season, including McGhin, who finished in the top 23 in the county in points. Four of McGhin’s teammates combined for 15 goals and 23 assists. Among those is senior midfielder, Jackson Barioto, who finished with five goals and three assists last season.

“We’ve had chemistry playing together,” Barioto said when asked about the holistic superb play of the team. “We were able to play with each other so well.”

Barioto and senior right back Hunter Greenwade also talked about how playing club soccer together outside of the high school team improved the overall play and chemistry among the players.

“Toward the end of the reason, it was very rough. We played a lot of tough teams,” Barioto explained about last year’s regular season. “Then we said it was time to turn up. We have to go 1-0 each game.”

That mentality expressed by both Barioto and Greenwade seemed to have paid off. The team won five straight playoff games by a combined 14 goals.

The result of the championship game last season has left a sour taste in the mouth of the players. This was expressed heavily by the dynamic midfielder when asked about his thoughts on how last season ended.

“It was just rough. It was very hard on us,” Barioto conveyed. “Having that nice long stretch of winning games and out of nowhere it just stopped. It was hard.”

Though it was not the result the players were hoping for, it established the Knights as a formidable opponent for other teams they will face off against this upcoming season.

When asked about the anticipated adversity they will face this season, Barioto said, “We know we need to just stay composed. There will be a lot of talking, but we need to believe in ourselves and believe in each other.”

This upcoming season won’t be an easy one, but this Century team is ready for what is ahead. The lingering sting from the Damascus defeat exists, but the Knight’s impenetrable armor makes this squad both resilient and determined to win it all.