The Morgan County boys soccer team features a veteran-led roster this season.
The Dogs are off to a great start in 2025, thanks to the leadership of their seniors as they compete against three other teams for the Region 4-AA championship. They aim to win a league title under coach Aaron Paul.
Morgan County started the season with a 1-1 record before rattling off five straight wins. The Dogs unfortunately lost 1-0 to region rival Jackson, a team they beat by the same score in February, snapping the winning streak last week.
However, they bounced back with wins over Rutland and Westside since that loss.
Paul observed that a distinctive aspect of this year’s team is its capacity to confront and overcome adversity.
“One thing that is unique about this year’s team — and I’m not going into too much detail — but this team has faced some adversity throughout the season. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever had before,” Paul said. “I think it’s brought our guys together a little bit more and made us a better team. I think we’re a little tougher, and I believe we’re a grind-it-out sort of team, which is kind of a good thing. So, it’s been fun to watch.”
The long-time Morgan County coach mentioned that his senior class significantly contributed to helping the younger players navigate the challenges faced this year. He’s relied on them and has also seen them grow.
“They’re a great group of guys, and it’s been fun working with them this year,” Paul said. “They’re all in our rotation and are playing a lot.”
Senior Blake Downs, a four-year starter, has been a “stable force” at goalkeeper. He’s kept other teams out of the net.
The team’s defense is made up of seniors. Carson Keener, Chris Neigh, Evan Johnson, and Teddy Young form a strong unit. They relieve a lot of the pressure from Downs, who’s allowed only a handful of goals this year.
Julian Tenorio and Kentucky Outlaw represent the senior class as two-thirds of the midfield. Meanwhile, fellow senior Chase Link plays a vital role as a striker on offense. The three help control the tempo of the offense.
Paul noted that underclassmen like Korbin Hedgwood, Rocco Biscoglia, Ashland Outlaw, and others play a vital role. He expressed his love for the team’s depth and mentioned that it will only help the Dogs in the playoffs.
“We’re stacked,” Paul said. “We feel pretty blessed, and we’re starting to get some depth about us, too. I was worried about it at the beginning of the season, but now I feel pretty good about where we are with our depth.”
Morgan County aims to progress further in the postseason than it did last year. To achieve this, the Dogs, who are ranked No. 3 in Class 2A by MaxPreps, need to win their region to secure a favorable position in the state playoffs. However, Callaway, Pike County, and Jackson are vying for the region championship as well.
Once more, Paul will rely on his eight seniors to help lead the team through the final stretch of the regular season.
“The expectation with all these returning players is that we need to perform better than we did last year, which isn’t an easy task,” Paul admitted. “That’s not simple to accomplish, so if our guys want to make a deep playoff run, then that’s something they must achieve. Our seniors need to continue leading the way.”