Program History

 

The year 2025 marks the 52nd season of the St. Charles Soccer Program. Soccer was the school’s first to earn a State Championship at
the varsity level of a sanctioned OHSAA sport in 1983 and again in 1985. In fact, starting in 1981, the St. Charles
Soccer team began a five-year annual pilgrimage to the State Final Four, finishing as runner ups in 1981, earning
the previously mentioned 2 state titles, all while compiling an astounding 94-8-7 record and setting a state record
at the time, of 43 consecutive victories from 1983-1984. The Cardinals would return to the final four in 1988 and
1991 each time coming up a game short and finishing as state runner ups. The programs 8th trip to the final four
took nearly 25 years to achieve and was a state soccer championship classic at Historic Crew Stadium, resulting in a
1-2 loss to State and National champion St. Ignatius. An even more epic run would commence in the fall

of 2024, with a rematch against St. Ignatius, this time in the state final. In the second overtime, with only seconds to

spare, the Cardinals were narrowly defeated 1-0. Over the course of the 51 seasons of soccer at 2010 E. Broad
St., Cardinal soccer teams have only had 9 seasons with non-winning records (three of those were in the first 6
seasons as a school sanctioned sport) and have had 4 seasons with 20 plus wins.

While soccer is a team sport, Soccer Cardinals have earned numerous individual accolades starting with Steve
McVey ‘76 earning the Cardinals first ever All State honor in 1975 with countless others following suit; several All-
American honors and too many to name, All District and All League awards as well. St. Charles Soccer teammates
Angelo Catenacci ’86 and Dave Merola ’87 recorded career goal scoring milestones while playing with each other
during 3 seasons (Catenacci scoring 119 career goals and Merola breaking that record with 128 a year later).

Although records are incomplete, St. Charles Soccer teams have amassed 552* wins while suffering 247* losses
and earning 108* ties throughout the 49 seasons of playing the beautiful game under the guidance of 15 head
coaches (four of which are St. Charles Soccer Alumni: Catenacci ’86, Hulme ’88, Ey ’94 and Vonau ’06) and their 50
plus assistant coaches.

Discipline. Sacrifice. Intensity.

Honoring our historic tradition.

Cardinals Soccer

 

 

Program Highlights

 

State Titles: 2

(1983, 1985)

State Runner Up: 5

(1981, 1988, 1991, 2016, 2024)

State Final Four: 9

(1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1991, 2016, 2023)

Regional Champions: 10

(1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1991, 2016, 2023, 2024)

Regional Runner Up: 2

(1992, 2018)

District Champions: 14

(1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024)

District Runner Up: 5

(1990, 2004, 2013, 2015, 2021)

CCL Champions: 20

(1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015,
2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

COSL Champions: 5

(1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)