Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Ryder Kohl’s vision becomes reality with York’s spectacular two-year run

Ryder Kohl’s vision became a reality.

The York senior center back has built a stellar career out of anticipating plays and pouncing on the ball to stop or lead an attack.

Kohl also had a long-term view of his ability to become a leading figure for the Dukes, which eventually led to an epic impact for the next two seasons. After playing exclusively for his club team during his underclassmen years, Kohl decided he wanted to build a memorable legacy in his community. Kohl said he was drawn to playing for the Dukes.

“My favorite part of soccer is traveling with the team and the bonds you create,” Kohl said. “It’s like a home away from home and brothers away from actual brothers. It’s having a good time with your friends but also working hard.

“I knew York was going to be a really good team, so I wanted to be a part of it. I definitely thought we could win state [last year] and thought we had a better chance at winning state this year. We had the talent to make a run at it.”

A standout soccer player since he was 7 years old, Kohl lived up to his dream of building the Dukes into a powerhouse program.

Led by stellar two-way play from Kohl, the Dukes wrapped up a historic two-year run that included a Class 3A state championship last season. Kohl was a lynchpin behind York’s stunning two-year run that ended with the program’s first state title and a fourth-place state trophy. The Dukes lost just three games in two years.

Kohl, the 2022 Suburban Life Boys Soccer Player of the Year, said he wasn’t surprised by the magical two-year run by the Dukes. He said the pandemic shifted his mindset toward playing for the Dukes.

“I think it met my expectations,” he said. “I expected us to do good and for the community to support us. We got exactly that. Our goal from the start was to win state and we did that last year. We just fell short this season.”

York coach Jordan Stopka said Kohl is a rare player capable of impacting a game on many fronts. Kohl, an All-State selection, scored eight goals and dished 13 assists this season to earn team MVP honors.

“Ryder’s vision on the field is amazing and just how he sees things and his ability to react and adjust,” Stopka said. “He knows when to attack and not to attack. It’s cool he chose to play soccer for his final two years at York and became a key figure in his community.”

Kohl has yet to make a decision to play in college, but he called his soccer career a memorable experience. He hails from a family mainly of football and basketball players.

“Before me, no one had ever played soccer in my family,” he said. “I was the first one. They all played football or basketball, even my cousins. It was different. I was good at baseball, but soccer spoke to me more. Baseball is too much waiting around for me. I quit baseball my sophomore year.”

Kohl said he’s proud of all his personal and team accomplishments, but noted the impact by the entire program on the community.

“It was a great experience,” Kohl said. “We built a legacy. There’s going to be more kids in Elmhurst who will want to continue to do what we did over the last two years.”