BY AUSTEN MILLER (’17)

Tyler Thomas and Nikki Cox prove that greatness comes in pairs. Besides being two of the best players in Granville soccer history and the entire state of Ohio, they are boyfriend and girlfriend.

Cox will probably be the first name people mention when they are talking about the girls’ varsity soccer team. In only three years she has broken numerous records. So many that it is hard to believe that she is only a junior.

At the beginning of this year, the star forward made a change that she had not done since elementary school. She switched from forward to midfield, mainly because of the talent she had. This didn’t affect her play though; she scored 34 goals, giving her a Licking County-best 113 for her career, and had 23 assists in leading the Blue Aces back to the Division II state semifinals.

Cox won Advocate Girls Soccer player of the year for the second year in a row, as well as district and regional awards.

Although her most prestigious awards were Division II girls soccer player of the year, as well as making first team All-Ohio.

But Cox isn’t the only soccer player setting and breaking records, because there’s a lot to be said about Thomas and the varsity boys’ soccer team this year. For one, they won their first LCL title in twelve years, and made it to the district finals. And two, they had a historic season with a record of 15-4, undefeated in their league, and undefeated at home.

The team was led by senior captain and forward Thomas. A four year starter, Thomas achieved a prestigious feat of surpassing the all-time scoring record of 99 in Granville soccer history with 101 goals, previously set by Chad Delligatti, a class of 1994 graduate.

Thomas received first team all-state honors, as well as boys’ soccer player of the year in Licking County, the highest honors possible for high school soccer.