When Chris Quisenberry started playing soccer as a kid, he was an outside back and goalkeeper.
Brad Barber, his coach with the Columbus East Soccer Club, moved Quisenberry to forward, and he became a prolific goal scorer.
Quisenberry scored 18 goals for Barber’s regional champion Columbus East team as a sophomore last season, then added 15 more for new coach Josh Gonsior as a junior this year to earn The Republic Boys Soccer Player of the Year honors.
“Coach Barber was coaching my club team when I was playing keeper, and he told me that it was time for me to go out on the field,” Quisenberry said. “I was a little angry about it at the time, but it was definitely the better decision in the end.”
Quisenberry’s 15 goals accounted for nearly 40 percent of the Olympians’ scoring output this season.
“All-around, he’s just an attacking threat for us,” Gonsior said. “We kind of live or die by the goals that he scores. When you have a player like Chris that warrants a lot of people from teams, and we heard in the district meetings, they said, ‘We knew who your threat was, and we had our eyes on him at all times.’ Just what he was able to do last year announced him on the state stage. He was a known factor this year.”
Quisenberry added five assists this year for an Olympians team that repeated as sectional champions.
“I think because of COVID, it was a little bit slow, but I’m really impressed with how the team molded together and especially a bunch of individual performances on and off the field,” Quisenberry said. “I think this season was great for us.”
While Quisenberry’s numbers were down a little (he had 11 assists last season), he didn’t have marquee players like midfielders Eric Stiles and Jorge Nieto to draw defenders or to get him the ball this year. That meant Quisenberry saw a lot of man-marking and double teams.
“There was a lot of stuff that I wasn’t as used to from last year, but we worked with it,” Quisenberry said. “I felt like my performance on the ball was definitely better. I think that I definitely improved on my weak foot, as well. While I didn’t score as much, I think I did pretty good on facilitating and being a leader.”
Gonsior also played Quisenberry a little at the attacking center mid and defensive midfield positions.
“It was something new for me,” Quisenberry said. “I’m always willing to step into a new role. I liked it. I was doing anything for the team to succeed, so anything that he needed for me to do, I was going to be there for it.”
“I think he took on more responsibility,” Gonsior said. “I think he did a lot more tracking back defensively. We also played him in the midfield a little bit, trying to find that player to replace Eric and Jorge, not having those midfielders to feed him the ball and still putting up some goals. Wherever you put him, he’s going to be a workhorse. He’s just a competitor, and he wants to win. He’ll do whatever role to help the team.”
Quisenberry, who now plays club soccer for Alliance FC, is hoping to play at the Division I college level. His top five favorite schools right now are Michigan State, Clemson, Ohio State, Louisville and Michigan.
Division II University of Indianapolis also has been recruiting Quisenberry, who wants to study law or business and finance
“I’ve kind of thought ever since I came into East freshman year that I wanted to play competitively, and I knew that I was going to have to step it up to do that,” Quisenberry said. “I think I’m on the right track to do that. I’m thinking that I’m going to kind of just let it all play out and see what offers I get, and if I get an offer that really intrigues me, then I might commit this year. But I think I’m going to wait and see until all my options are on the table.”
With 35 goals, Quisenberry currently ranks third on the Olympians’ all-time list with 35, trailing only Nick Hollenkamp (52) and Carlos Cruz (37). Quisenberry is second on all-time assist list with 24, just four behind Nieto’s 28.
Quisenberry wants to break those scoring and assist records next season.
“I just want to make sure that I’m physically well and able for the next high school season, and I want to work on my left foot some more, work on my touch, defensive principles, stuff like that, just make myself a better all-around player,” Quisenberry said.
