After a CBA Soccer season that was full of big plays and even bigger wins, it is time to recognize a standout player from one of the most talented teams in the Shore Conference.

Senior midfielder Phil Bodenski finished his CBA career with an excellent display of skill and leadership, making him the CBA Digital Network’s Player of the Year.

“We would all come together as a team and discuss what went wrong during games,” Bodenski said. “We even had a couple of film sessions by ourselves just analyzing what we could’ve done better. All those little things helped us focus.”

Bodenski’s five goals and four assists made him one of the Colts’ leaders for goal contributions. He controlled the midfield all season and emerged as a leader with his immense presence on the pitch.

Bodenski has been a member of the team since his sophomore year, leaving a monumental legacy on the program. He was a member of the 2022 state championship team and added two Shore Conference titles during his career.

"Over the past three years, Phil has represented everything that makes playing for CBA special,” head coach Tom Mulligan ‘83 said. “He has maintained an exceedingly high standard of quality, both on and off the field, and he always prioritized character and a team-first attitude."

Bodenski is one of those players who has left an impact on his younger CBA teammates, and they will be eager to continue the success that he has brought to CBA’s soccer program. His leadership even helped the Colts transition to a new style of play during the season.

“Switching styles of play is a very difficult thing, especially in soccer, because nobody is used to it,” he said. “But after those first three to five games, we really figured out how to position ourselves and how to best put this new style of play into use.”

Even though the Colts’ season ended prematurely, Bodenski’s contributions cannot go unnoticed. As a captain, it was his job to make sure the team was able to come back from tough losses, something he took great pride in. His efforts helped the Colts win nine games in 10 chances after starting the season 3-3.

“At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of setbacks,” Bodenski said. “Once we adapted to the new style of play that started to win us games, that’s when we started to get on a winning streak.”

Bodenski showed time and time again how the team’s offense flowed through him, and his ability to control the game put CBA in a position to consistently create scoring opportunities.

“Phil has been saying ‘One for all and all for one,’” junior James Brady said. “I believe that represents us as a team because everyone played for what was on the front of the shirt, not the back. Everyone always put the team first, and we always looked out for each other, which is one of the reasons why I think we won a lot of close games this season.”

As Bodenski’s impressive high school career comes to a close, one must appreciate all the hard work he has put into the soccer program at CBA and how his legacy will impact the Colts for years to come.