The heartbreak was real. But other things were just as real about 2026 Cathedral High School boys soccer – and those were more important. Those things are what Joel Russell will remember. The end wasn’t what the Irish wanted, but the season overall was a success. “Overall, the season was a good experience,” Russell said. The Irish in Russell’s seventh season as boys soccer head coach finished 8-5-6. They spent the season ranked in the Class 3A Indiana Soccer Coaches Association poll, finishing ranked 15th and losing to Lawrence North, 1-1 (7-6), in penalty kicks in the semifinal round of the Class 3A Section 10 tournament. It marked the program’s third consecutive sectional loss to Lawrence North on penalty kicks, with the game being decided on the 10th shooter. “[LN coach Daniel Flores] has good talent there,” Russell said. “He has done a fantastic job. They’re organized and those teams are tough to score on. I said to him before the game, ironically, ‘Let's just call it 1-1 and go shoot penalty kicks.’ “Sure enough, it was 1-1 and we went and shot penalty kicks. We just waited two-and-a-half hours later.” The Irish in ’26 also continued a longstanding tradition of being one of the state’s top programs while playing elite competition from the start of the season to the postseason. “We ended up the season ranked 15th in the state in 3A, which I think is a validation for some other coaches that, ‘Hey, we were young, but man, they're good,’’’ Russell said. “When I got the group together in the summer, and I looked at how many different seniors had varsity experience, it was pretty thin. “I always say we're trying to build the best boy soccer program in the state. That was somewhat validating this year, just in the sense that the program is producing and attracting good young men and good young soccer players, which is representative of the school, and what the school offers, what the soccer program offers, and we're putting good kids in a Cathedral jersey.” Seven of the Irish’s 13 “instate” games in 2026 were against sectional champions – six in Class 3A and one in Class 2A. “That says something about the schedule we put together,” Russell said. “There are probably 10 different teams that could win the state title. If you were a betting person, you might put a dollar down on each of them. There were a lot of good teams that could win, us being one of them.” The 2026 season for the Irish was one of transition and youth, with four freshmen and three sophomores playing key – and starting – roles while navigating the state’s most difficult schedule for a second consecutive season. “One of the parents said afterward, ‘If you looked at the start of the season and said this is where we would be, how good we are, you would have taken it,’ ” Russell said. “I thought the team really performed well.” Added Russell, “I would have liked for these kids to have gotten a sectional win that first year as freshmen just to see what it tastes like and move on, but you go to the 10th shooter and you don’t get it done … “Overall, it was a really good season.” Key to the Irish in 2026 were upperclassmen leaders such as senior captain forward Karol Molina-Gomez and junior midfielder captain Liam Horen, with senior forward Chase Gatto and senior Josue De Los Santos also contributing. “We really moved the ball very well,” Russell said. “This team was very comfortable on the ball. We were very comfortable stringing together passes. It was technical. It was a fun group. I like the young energy.” Russell called Molina-Gomez “probably the best center back in the state,” though the senior played mostly forward in 2026. “We just couldn't afford him to play him at center back,” Russell said. “We played him off top for most of our season. We're really going to miss him.” Also key to the Irish: Leading scorer Rohan Fahey, who scored 12 goals with four assists and who Russell called “a spark in the attack that we really needed.” Junior goaltender Michael Behringer also stood out throughout the 2026 season, with Russell calling him “unequivocally the best goalkeeper in the state.” “He kept us in a lot of games this year,” Russell said. “He just didn't give up multiple goal games.” And with a young team performing at a high level throughout the 2026 regular season and into the postseason, Russell said the future of a consistent program remains strong. “There are good players in every class coming in, and that's a testament to what we're building,” Russell said. “I still would have liked to see the results transfer. But at the same time, we're controlling controllables, doing what we can do. It was a really good year with a good group of young players that I think are going to leave a lasting impact on the program. “We have a great nucleus of players coming back and the bar's going to be high, but we have to get through LN.”