Trojans Dominate District Final, Secure Third Consecutive Championship

Dublin — Tree of Life entered Saturday’s district championship game at Dublin Jerome seeking to maintain momentum and capture their third straight district title, a continued tradition of excellence for the Trojans.

From the opening kickoff, Tree of Life controlled possession and applied steady pressure on the Silver Knights’ defense. The Trojans’ persistence paid off in the 33rd minute when Julius Ruiz broke through to put Tree of Life ahead 1-0 over Bishop Ready.

After much frustration, the icebreaker gave a boost to a Trojan squad that consistently had opportunities.

“We keep a positive mindset, even when the ball isn’t going in the net,” Davis Kissler said postgame. “It is definitely frustrating, but we keep our head up and keep going with positive talk.”

In the 38th minute, the Silver Knights nearly found the equalizer when Jack Collaguazo slipped past the Trojans’ back line for a one-on-one chance against goalkeeper Jesse Kanu. But Kanu came up big, making a sliding save to preserve Tree of Life’s 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.

Despite their best efforts, the Silver Knights could never wrestle momentum away from the Trojans. Tree of Life’s stifling defense kept Bishop Ready in check and provided steady support for goalkeeper Jesse Kanu.

“Seeing these guys go hard in practice builds up the confidence I can have in them,” Kanu said. “I’m never nervous about what this defense can do for me and they make my job easier.”

Early in the second half, the Trojans added an insurance goal when Davis Kissler found the back of the net in the 43rd minute, extending Tree of Life’s lead to 2-0 over Bishop Ready.

Tree of Life sealed the win with late goals from Isaiah Ruiz and Davis Kissler in the final 12 minutes, securing a 4-0 victory over Bishop Ready and their third consecutive boys soccer district championship.

With the victory, Tree of Life advances to the regional semifinal against the winner of Worthington Christian and Amanda-Clearcreek on Wednesday.

Moving ahead, Kissler says that Tree of Life’s mindset is what will separate them apart as they advance in the playoffs.

“We know what we are capable of, we were really close to state last year,” Kissler said. “We have a lot of momentum. We see what we can do in games and in practice, so definitely our mindset will help.”