by Dylan Butler - MSG Varsity
A year ago, more than a few people in the CHSAA thought Ovid Cusu was crazy.
He was moving a talented, but young and inexperienced Christ the King squad up from Class B to Class A, asking his kids to play against perennial powerhouses like St. Francis Prep and Archbishop Molloy.
“Most of us last year thought we were going to win one or two games,” senior defender John Favara said. “But we surprised ourselves and worked our butts off to do everything.”
The end result surprised many, including those inside of Christ the King. The Royals were 7-10 during the regular season and reached the intersectional quarterfinals where they lost in overtime to eventual champion Iona Prep.
While the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, it showed how far Christ the King had come in its first year in Class A.
So what do the Royals do for an encore?
“We’re no longer the new kid on the block,” Cusu said. “There’s no surprises, that’s why they have to keep the intensity. It doesn’t matter who we play.”
Cusu’s goals have been raised for this year’s Royals. A year ago, he was happy to be competitive. Now, it’s about a winning season and a berth in the Class A semifinals.
“We want to get to St. John’s,” midfielder Federico Curbelo said, referring to the sit
