Ethan Berkovitz | Solon High School | Junior | Soccer

ED CARROLL | STAFF REPORTER ecarroll@cjn.org | @EdCarrollCJN

Solon High School soccer player Ethan Berkovitz is the Cleveland Jewish News-Buffalo Wild Wings Warrensville Heights Player of the Week.

Berkovitz, 17, just finished his junior season, helping the Comets to an 11-4-3 record, mainly playing as a centermidfielder. The three-year letter earner called the season his best year of the three.

“I think I provided a lot of support to the younger kids on the team because we had a lot of seniors, but I think I helped bridge the gap between the seniors on our team and also the younger players on the team that are improving each and every day,” he said.

Berkovitz said one of the team’s goals for the season was to earn double-digit wins, and with 11 victories on the season, the Comets accomplished that goal.

“We won our Greater Cleveland Conference, which is the first time in 21 years Solon has ever won a conference championship in soccer, and this is the first time ever that Solon has won the Greater Cleveland Conference,” he said.

Berkovitz expects his game to remain the same next season, but going into his senior year, he plans to be more of a leader, both on and off the field.

“(I’ll) help mentor the younger kids to continue the expectations of the program as I graduate and my fellow seniors graduate. I think I have a lot of experience throughout my time playing for Solon that I can definitely pass down to the younger players,” he said.

Berkovitz also plays soccer for a club team, the Cleveland Soccer Academy, and said that team is currently ranked second in the state.

Solon High School boys’ soccer head coach Ryan Greenhill said Berkovitz loves the game of soccer, and his passion for the sport rubs off on his teammates.

“He works really hard,” Greenhill said. “That work rate kind of bleeds through (to) our team. He took a tremendous step forward this season from his sophomore to junior year where he started every game this season. Definitely, at times, he was our playmaker on offense, pulling the string, so certainly an instrumental part of our success.”

Greenhill said Berkovitz is a guy all the other players on the team like and he expects Berkovitz to continue to be a leader.

“The team created a bunch of nicknames for him throughout the season,” Greenhill said. “He’s someone I think the guys enjoy being around, but more importantly, (he) loves the game of soccer and that passion radiates through the team.”

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