To be part of a tournament steeped in camaraderie, tradition and elite play is one thing, but to win it is another.
For the first time in its nearly three decades of existence, the Regis Jesuit boys soccer team triumphed at the Jesuit Classic and the sweet win came with the comforts of home.
The 27-year-old rotating tournament that features Regis Jesuit in addition to Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.), Marquette University High School (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Rockhurst (Kansas City, Missouri) came to Aurora this year and the host Raiders won bragging rights with a 2-0 performance Sept. 18-19.
“Every year, this tournament is the opportunity for these guys to live the Jesuit brotherhood,” longtime Regis Jesuit head coach Rick Wolf said. “The common language of this sport branches off into them going to class and experiencing other schools. They are making friends for life and some of these guys may even go on to room together in college and beyond.
“More than anything, it shows that the Jesuit brotherhood is real no matter where you are in the nation, so it’s been very successful.”
The tournament rotates in location each year so that each school hosts, but the structure is the same in each stop. Players from the three visiting teams get paired to live with a player from the host team for the duration of their stay, during which they play two games and attend school with the host.
Regis Jesuit senior Kam Bachus got to be part of the team’s trip to Milwaukee last season.
“Not a lot of teams get to do what we do, to go live with other students, experience school in a different place and get to know different communities is incredible,” Bachus said.
While he enjoyed going on the road, Bachus also enjoyed being a host this time. He had two players from the Marquette team stay with his family and got to know them better during his 30-minute commute to and from Regis Jesuit. Bachus’ family also hosted 30 players to watch football and find fellowship.
“We get to know what their lives are about where they live,” he said. “Some of us have been to some of their schools, so it’s incredible to bring them here, show them around and get to know them on a deeper level. Soccer really can bring us together.”
The experience is unforgettable for most players regardless of what happens on the pitch, but to come out on top at the end is extra sweet.
Regis Jesuit won both of its games at the 2023 tournament, but lost out on the title due to goal differential.
This time, a 3-1 win over Gonzaga and a 1-0 victory over Marquette made it the only 2-0 team in the tournament. Rockhurst finished 1-0-1 (with a win over Marquette and 3-3 tie with Gonzaga (which was 0-1-1) with Marquette 0-2.
Bachus scored a goal in each game, including the game-winner against Marquette Sept. 19, which came on a 25-yard strike after a pass from junior Sawyer Berg that sent the Raiders into halftime with momentum after their opponent had dominated the majority of play in the opening half.
“I knew I had time to take a couple of touches,” said Bachus, the team’s leader with four goals. “The keeper looked to be farther towards the far post looking for a little cross, so I just thought I might as well hit it. It all went right.”
Senior Dom Willsea, Regis Jesuit’s reserve goalie, made a variety of acrobatic saves in the closing minutes to preserve the win and seal the championship, which came in front of packed stands at Lou Kellogg Stadium with students on lunch break.
Wolf said more than 60 parents of the visiting teams made the journey to Colorado to enhance the atmosphere, while he enjoys the camaraderie with the other coaches staffs, who he calls a “fraternity” due to very little turnover for many years.
The success of the Jesuit Classic on the boys side could filter into the girls season in the spring, as Wolf has now taken over the head job and has set up a game with one of the other schools.
The boys Jesuit Classic heads to Rockhurst next season.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
