The Trinity Trojans are off to their best start in decades, opening the 2025 season with a perfect 4-0 record while outscoring opponents, 17-5.
Head coach Mario Gerhardt said the group’s early success is no accident.
“I think they’re excited,” Gerhardt said. “All of them have been working really hard. They’re working their tails off.”
The Trojans have been explosive on offense, led by junior forward Jonathan Rosa, who has already scored seven goals and added two assists. Daitin Sherman has chipped in four goals and an assist, while Orlando Smith-Carle (2 goals, 1 assist), Jayden Moore (2 goals), Jaliel Gullatt (1 goal, 1 assist), and Lucci Hamilton-Walker (1 goal, 1 assist) have all found the back of the net.
“We have a lot of speed up front,” Gerhardt said. “We have three players on our team that were state runners-up in the 4×100-meter relay at the state meet, so that certainly helps. We have a lot of speed. The skill level of the players is much better. They started playing when they were in eighth grade or ninth grade, so it’s not where it maybe should be for 11th graders and 10th graders at this point, but they make up for it with their speed.”
Along with the offense’s quick-strike ability, Trinity has been noticeably stronger on defense, allowing just five goals in the first four games. A big part of that improvement has come from junior goalkeeper Jalen Roach, who has recorded 14 saves.
“One thing that is much better from last year is our keeper, Jalen Roach,” Gerhardt said. “He started attending KRONIS Academy in Hudson, where they specialize in training goalkeepers. He started going there last December, and he got a lot of intensive goalkeeping training, and it’s making a difference.”
Gerhardt credited the team’s mentality as another reason for the turnaround.
“One thing we stress is if you lose the ball, which we actually do more than we should, they fight right back and try to win it back,” Gerhardt said. “It’s called counter-pressing.”
With their best start in decades and a balanced attack on both sides of the ball, the Trojans are proving they may be a team to watch this fall.
Trinity hosts Cuyahoga Heights on Sept. 2.
