Some center midfielders have the ability to distribute the ball, accurately placing passes in favorable areas for teammates.
Others have the ability to score in bunches, especially if they tend to shoot indiscriminately without thinking twice.
Crown Point senior Trevor Witte is among the limited number of players at the position who efficiently combines the two components.
Witte’s playmaking in particular has impressed Bulldogs coach Mike Bazin.
“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach in terms of his vision,” Bazin said of Witte. “Playing the ball with vision, finding passes — passes that other kids don’t even see and look for — that’s his main role.”
Indeed, Witte had five assists last season for the Bulldogs. But he also led the team with 15 goals.
“He’s really improved his finishing lately — it’s really increased,” Bazin said. “Having that one-two punch from him, it’s phenomenal.”
Witte also isn’t hesitant to do the dirty work involved with defending.
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His development into an all-around player has been a process.
Witte played on the junior varsity as a freshman, getting called up for the postseason. He earned a starting role as a sophomore.
“The first couple of games were rough,” Witte said. “It was hard just to get into it and play against older and bigger kids.
“My junior year, I realized it’s just soccer — just go out there and play.”
How does Witte improve for his senior season?
“I want to react and play quicker,” he said. “I want to be stronger on the ball, more aggressive.
“I just want to keep everyone involved in the game and make sure the flow stays the same throughout the game. I don’t want our play to get slower. I want to make sure we keep the flow going.”
Witte envisions the Bulldogs going deep into the playoffs after they have a strong regular season.
In 2017, Crown Point shared the Duneland Athletic Conference title with Lake Central before reaching a regional final, the area’s last Class 3A team standing.
But the way their season ended, with a 4-2 loss to Goshen after having built a 2-0 lead, serves as a source of motivation.
“It still bothers me now,” Witte said. “Seeing the three seniors go out that way, it hurts. I don’t want to end my season and high school career like that.”
Having graduated midfielders Filip Stefanoski and Parker Darnstaedt and defender Zach Carpenter, Crown Point returns eight starters.
Last season’s team reeled off a 14-0-3 unbeaten stretch after losing the first three games to top opponents in eventual state champion West Lafayette Harrison, Lake Central and Munster.
The Bulldogs believe they have quality players to fill the gaps.
“Things are looking good,” Witte said. “The chemistry’s already there. It’s really just finding the right formation. But we definitely learned we can’t look too far ahead. It’s really just going game to game to game.
“It’s crazy to think how fast it went. I don’t want to look past any game, take any game for granted.”