After C. Milton Wright boys soccer won its Class 1A state semifinal to advance to its sixth championship game in the last decade, coach Eric Riedlbauer reminded his group who they’re playing for — and who’s with them from afar.
“I think Evan’s up there watching over us,” he told his players, huddled and seated on the turf as they realized the weight of the moment.
None of them said anything. But they were certain they all thought the same thing.
Evan Snyder died in June 2023 in an accident in his home. He would have been a senior playing his final high school soccer game Saturday when the Mustangs play for a state title. Coaches say he would have been a team captain.
C. Milton Wright’s boys and girls teams will each play for a state championship Saturday afternoon at Loyola Maryland’s Ridley Athletic Complex. The girls play Queen Anne’s at noon, the boys follow against Parkside at 2:30.
Classmates and friends who have led both runs, say are both for and fueled by Snyder. They play with his lasting impact in their minds and hearts, and they’ve extracted plenty of good from a tragedy.
“He’s definitely with them,” Snyder’s father, Derek, said. “Evan’s riding this wave with them from above.”
Snyder once dreamed of reaching this stage. While in Spanish class as a freshman, teammates recall him repeatedly telling those who sat nearby that it consumed him. He knew his class had talent and looked forward to seeing it develop.
“Ever since freshman year, he said our senior year was gonna be our best,” senior goalkeeper Dylan Sander said.
The group instead played their junior and senior seasons without Snyder. They’re still on the precipice of backing that Spanish class prediction and have adopted unique ways to keep their friend with them on this run.
At the 20th minute of every game — Snyder’s jersey number — all players and coaches clap in unison. They bolt to the 20-yard line after goals to celebrate.
ES20, his initials and number, is now a prominently displayed symbol. An ES20 patch is on both teams’ warmup jerseys. Some players don wristbands with the phrase. They can’t wear them in games, so they tape over it and write ES20 again in marker.
“Sunshine is how I would describe him,” said senior Aubrey Simms, who wears Snyder’s No. 20 jersey on the girls team (the boys team retired the number). “We want to live for him. Through soccer, we all want to play for him.”
“We would ride the bus together and he’d always harp on the girls team, saying like, ‘We’re never gonna make it far,’” senior Emma Janikowiak joked. “It’s just ironic now that we’re both going to states. It just makes it even more special.”
Simms, Janikowiak and other members of the girls team extended their efforts beyond the pitch.
They often invite Snyder’s mother, Amanda, out for coffee. They brought her and Derek to take homecoming photos with the rest of the group. Last Mother’s Day, Simms brought Amanda flowers.
“These kids are 17 years old and they’ve handled it so beautifully,” Amanda said. “The gratitude we feel — it’s really beautiful.”
Said Simms: “We lost our best friend, but she lost her son.”
The Mustangs’ boys team looks to win their third state championship game of the last 10 years and enters Saturday with a 16-2 record. They haven’t allowed a goal through four state tournament games.
The girls’ side was less certain to reach this stage. They needed double overtime to beat defending state champion Sparrows Point in the semifinal, where a goal from sophomore Lilly Budelis broke a scoreless tie. They are making their first state title game appearance since 2012 with hopes of winning their first since 2005.
Both squads will take the field Saturday looking to stamp their high school years that have already impacted so many in ways larger than soccer with another impressive accomplishment.
“It’s about the team, it’s about the players, but it’s very much about [Snyder] as well,” said assistant coach Brian Gunter, who has ES20 tattooed on him. “He would be rooting for the girls, then playing in that game. It’s a great way to honor him. It’s gonna be a great day.”
Riedlbauer recently played his team an old video of Snyder declaring C. Milton Wright would win a state championship. This group of seniors — Snyder’s classmates, friends and teammates — are at the center of Saturday’s games that give them a chance to achieve that. They’ve been at the center of much more over the last two years. Instead of sinking, they’ve uplifted a community.
“I really admire people who can turn tragedy into something beautiful,” Amanda Snyder said. “This group of seniors has done that.”
Have a news tip? Contact Taylor Lyons at tlyons@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/TaylorJLyons.
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