Alex McGill showed as a sophomore last season that he can be a prolific goal scorer.
This year, the Columbus North junior showed he can be a proficient distributor of the ball as well. He nearly doubled his assist total. He led the Bull Dogs with 22 goals and nine assists in earning his second consecutive The Republic Boys Soccer Player of the Year honor.
“I found that it was a lot easier to get my teammates involved this year,” McGill said.
Last season, McGill recorded 20 goals and five assists in leading North to sectional and regional titles. He had scored seven goals as a freshman.
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Bull Dogs coach Andy Glover said McGill has lofty goals.
“Alex is a fine soccer player who is results oriented,” Glover said. “He has high expectations for himself and his team. He enjoys the challenge of taking players on and getting to goal. Alex also likes to bring others into the game in the middle and attacking thirds. This is illustrated by his stats this season.”
About the only downside for McGill this season came in North’s final game. The Bull Dogs fell 3-0 to Columbus East in the Seymour Sectional final.
Just two days earlier, McGill had scored a career-best four goals in a 5-0 sectional semifinal win against the host Owls.
“In the postseason, I think we took things for granted and weren’t expecting such a quick rebound from a 5-0 win the game before,” McGill said. “We were a little complacent, and we didn’t perform too well in the game that really mattered. We didn’t go as far in the tournament as I would have liked, but I think the overall progression of the team was really good.”
McGill currently is playing club soccer with the Alliance for coach Kevin Robeson, who also is an assistant at Indiana University. McGill wants to play college soccer, but he is not yet sure where.
With McGill, the recruiting process is just beginning.
“I think I can play at the Division I level,” McGill said. “I need to gain a bit more muscle and get a little bit faster. But I think technically, I would be able to play if I keep progressing at the rate which I’m progressing.”
With another year of high school remaining, McGill hopes to finish his career with a bang. He would like to help North improve on a 13-6-1 record.
More importantly, McGill would like to lead the Bull Dogs on another long postseason run.
“Next year, I’d like to get revenge on East in sectional,” McGill said. “I’d like to make it to regional and maybe even farther.”
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The 2017 Republic All-Area Boys Soccer team:
Alex McGill, Columbus North: The junior led the Bull Dogs with 22 goals and nine assists.
Finn Anderson, Columbus North: The senior netted nine goals and six assists.
Jannis Anderson, Columbus North: The senior helped lead a defense that allowed only 28 goals in 20 games.
Zach Friend, Columbus North: The junior helped lead a defense that allowed only 28 goals in 20 games.
Dustin Rodgers, Columbus East: The senior led the Olympians with 16 goals and added 10 assists.
Scott Hammond, Columbus East: The senior led a defense that allowed only 18 goals in 20 games.
Eli Newell, Columbus East: The senior netted three goals and 11 assists.
Andy Davidson, Columbus East: The senior helped lead a defense that allowed only 18 goals in 20 games.
Zach Roberts, Columbus East: The sophomore posted 10 shutouts and a 0.94 goals-against average.
Justin Copas, Columbus East: The senior netted nine goals and 10 assists.
Landon Cambridge, Brown County: The senior led the Eagles with 22 goals and added eight assists.
Adrian Miller, Jennings County: The senior led the Panthes with seven goals and was the team’s top defender.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Logan Fittz, Will Ryan. Columbus Christian: Kyle Foster. Columbus East: Jorge Nieto, Eric Stiles, Jayvon Thomas. Columbus North: Andrew Goble, Jack Robertson. Hauser: Joe Sweet, Andrew Titus. Jennings County: Justin Copeland, Dalton Craig. Trinity Lutheran: AJ Goecker.
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