What a difference a year makes. As a sophomore, Josh Rutina came off the bench and would play fifteen minutes in a half. He was a solid role player and helped the team get to the championship game, but he didn’t score many goals.

However, as a junior, Rutina has made strides as a scorer. This season, he has racked up a team-leading seven goals, with five in one game earlier this month against Spaulding. Senior goalie and captain Cam Wheeler praised Rutina’s ability to get open for his teammates.

“He has the ability to make himself available, and he knows where to be in the right moments,” said Wheeler. “The people around him make sure to get him the ball in optimal scoring chances.”

The striker has a natural talent for scoring, but teammate Jayden West thinks his improvement has come from his desire to get better as a player.

“Josh works his butt off and is always asking for advice on what he can work on or continue to do better,” said West.