Sumner starts as hot as summer for Grafton soccer

Now in the third year of a new program, the Grafton High School boys’ soccer team is starting to show progress.

Jason Rogers is this year’s coach after assisting Greg Springman, the coach the last two seasons who is taking the fall off after having twins in spring. Springman is also the Black Hawks’ girls’ coach, and Rogers is his assistant.

The Black Hawks have 30 boys in the program, including a core of juniors who picked up experience last season, Rogers said.

One of those is Cayden Sumner, who already scored 13 goals and has an assist. Sumner has been a varsity player since he was a freshman.

“He’s made the biggest jump from last year. This year he’s really kind of matured,” Rogers said. “I think he’s turning into that player we expected him to be.”

Other scoring threats on top include sophomores Charlie Lawrence and Luke Jackson.

In the midfield, junior Austin Eigenberger is back and joined by junior Cayden Pegelow.

Seniors Jordan Guerra and Trevor Marien are playing outside.

Other midfielders include junior Jakob Olson and a tall freshman, Christian Hansen, who Rogers said can compete on a varsity level.

The Hawks lost midfielder Noah Pegelow, who received North Shore Conference honorable mention last season, to graduation.

Juniors Aidan Roddy and Ben Widmann, who were on varsity last year but didn’t get on the field often, are leading the defense.

NSC second-team defender Kolton Micoliczyk graduated.

Senior Charlie Rose is back at keeper.

Experience is an advantage this season for the Hawks.

“All over the field, we’ve had a lot of players who at least have been on the varsity roster since their freshman year. They know our expectations,” Rogers said.

Last year, the team struggled early in games, but this season “we did a good job pressing early,” he said.

The Hawks went 8-8-2 last season and lost in a shootout to New Berlin Eisenhower in a regional final.

Grafton is off to a 2-2 start, and the Hawks are 1-0 in the challenging North Shore Conference.

They beat Catholic Memorial, 3-0; lost to Plymouth, 4-3; lost to Pius, 2-0; and beat NSC foe West Bend West, 5-1, at home last Thursday.

Against West, Sumner scored four goals and Eigenberger had one. Luke Jackson had three assists and Olson had one. It was 4-0 at halftime.

Rodgers said Sumner scored a few backdoor tap-ins and dribbled through the defense on a great run before firing a low shot for another score.

He also praised Jackson for his play in his second game back after a trip.

“He had a fantastic game,” Rodgers said.

The Hawks responded well after a flat game against Pius.

“I kind of laid into them after Wednesday’s game, and they stepped up across the board,” Rodgers said.

“It was by far one of the best games I’ve seen them play collectively.”

Rose made seven saves, and junior keeper Griffin Koehler made three saves and allowed one goal.

The “convincing” conference victory “shows that we’re here,” Rodgers said.

The Hawks host Cedarburg on Thursday, Sept. 8, and play at Whitefish Bay on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Whitefish Bay is ranked No. 7 in Division 2, according to a Wisconsin Coaches Association poll, and Cedarburg is ranked No. 7. Grafton is ranked No. 10 in Division 3.