Center Grove’s Charlie Habig, right, moves the ball downfield in a match last season against Columbus North.
Daily Journal file photo
Most soccer players prefer having their skills noticed on the pitch, though Center Grove midfielder Charlie Habig opts for a different approach.
A growth spurt of nearly a foot since entering high school hasn’t made it any easier.
“I kind of like to be the guy who goes unnoticed,” said Habig, a 5-foot-11 senior who measured out at an even 5 feet when he started ninth grade in the fall of 2021. “But if you know soccer well, you can tell I make a big impact. I would say I take the most pride in my defense and passing.”
Goals are great, a celebration waiting to happen. At the same time, Habig, who picked up the sport as a 5-year-old, understands that the so-called glue players carry their own level of importance.
Mixed into the Class 3A No. 1 Trojans’ dominant 9-0 start are Habig’s five goals and five assists. Classmate Austin Lowden leads Center Grove in goals with 11, followed by junior Niekos Whitney with eight and Owen Dorrell with six.
The Trojans, who have so far outscored the opposition by a 45-2 margin, face their biggest challenge yet this evening when they host 10th-ranked Cathedral. Further down the road is a much-anticipated Sept. 26 home date with No. 2 Noblesville, the three-time defending state champion.
Whether or not Center Grove can ultimately end the Millers’ title string in the postseason remains to be seen. However, this squad is reminiscent of coach Jameson McLaughlin’s first team in 2015. With a roster dominated by talented seniors, those Trojans booted and defended their way to a 20-2-1 record and the program’s only state championship.
Habig — one of either five or six senior starters, depending on the opponent — has been a key factor in this, his second year in the team’s starting 11.
“This season, Charlie has been uber-aggressive, and it’s his ability to create space on his own when there really isn’t any there,” McLaughlin said. “He’s always been that way. The difference is he’s a lot bigger and stronger this season. As a freshman, I’m not sure he was 5 foot. He wasn’t very big.”
Now look at him.
Habig, one of four team captains with classmates Evan Hewitt, Lucas Brunson and four-year starter Keaton Barnhizer, has been willing to alter his mindset in an effort to do whatever is necessary to help Center Grove win.
“Coming into the season, I knew we were going to be very good offensively,” Habig said. “I thought, someone has to pass the ball, and coach McLaughlin wants me to defend more this year than last year. In club soccer I play more defensively, so it’s more natural to me.”
Last year’s Trojans finished 14-3-2, winning the sectional but losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to Columbus North in a regional semifinal. This group, seasoned by victories and disappointment alike, are setting their sights on a much deeper run.
“Everyone has to play their role, and I think everyone is playing their role perfectly,” Habig said. “This is why we’re having success.”
