MLS Next reshapes Ohio high school soccer

Jack Mendelsohn | The Chronicle

Out with the old, in with the new. Ohio high school men’s soccer is undergoing significant changes. Now more than ever, high school players, parents and coaches are focused on the next level. One of the most prestigious club soccer programs in the Greater Cincinnati area, Cincinnati United Premier (CUP), has made a major change. 

In early January of 2025, CUP’s top teams announced their decision to expand their competition to the Major League Soccer (MLS) Next league. As a result, certain teams have a year-round requirement, extending their season to include the fall. This has affected many programs, including Mason’s, which lost plenty of key players. 

Mason High School senior Marcos Neto, who was recently recognized as an All-American in 2024, has played for CUP’s top 2007 team, CUP Gold, for 3 years, while playing varsity soccer for the Comets since he was a freshman. 

“It definitely was not easy to make the decision,” Neto said. “My parents and I agreed that club [soccer] would prepare me better for college, but part of me still wanted to play for Mason because those were some of the most fun moments I have had playing.”

Although Neto’s decision may have been made with the future in mind, it also meant giving up his final season with the Comets.

“I have met so many people, and many of my friends are still on the team,” Neto said. “Part of me wanted to go out with a bang, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that.”

While Mason felt the impact of Neto’s decision, not every player chose the same path. For some, like senior Shunya Kashiwakura, the brotherhood of high school soccer outweighed the lure of year-round club soccer. 

“I knew that I wanted to continue playing high school soccer,” Kashiwakura said. “The environment and the bonds we make playing for Mason do not compare to the ones on our club teams.”

The effects of CUP’s rule change extend well beyond Mason. Schools across Ohio have seen their rosters reshaped, losing many players to MLS Next clubs. 

“We know now more than ever we have to play more tactically as a team,” Kashiwakura said. “Before, we could get away with relying on a few standout players, but now it’s about everyone buying in and executing together if we want to succeed.”

As high school soccer programs adjust to this new change, the balance between club success and high school culture will continue to be challenged. 

“As upperclassmen, we definitely feel the responsibility to lead the underclassmen and those with less experience,” Kashiwakura said. “With so many experienced seniors having left, the rest of us feel like we have to step up.”

While the absence of standout talents is noticed, the team recognizes the individual benefits that drove their choices. Senior defender Grady Krueger believes that this change is an obstacle that can be overcome.

“Unfortunately, they are not still playing with us, but we understand why they made their decisions,” Krueger said. “We just have to move forward [and] focus on our game.” 

With fewer standout players to rely on, Mason must play more cohesively. Krueger acknowledged the change, reflecting on the team’s new playing style. 

“A lot of the players that we lost were our top goal scorers, so that has definitely been a big change,” Krueger said. “Now we focus more on passing and creating opportunities together.”

While players stepped up to fill the gaps left by departing seniors, head coach Garrett Szabo had to adjust.

“For a long time, these seniors have been a super tight-knit group,” Szabo said. “MLS Next changed a lot of our identity, most noticeably in how we generate scoring.”

Even with some key players gone, others rose to the occasion, keeping the Comets’ championship streak alive. Despite the roster shakeups, the team has found its rhythm and claimed another Greater Miami Conference (GMC) title.

“The changes have made us a more well-rounded team, and it shows on the scoresheet,” Szabo said. “We’re playing together, and it’s paying off.”