Mac powers into semis

Fraser Caldwell

Sports Editor

If Gersi Xhuti’s breakthrough rookie season needed an exclamation point, it certainly got one on Oct. 30.

With his Marauder team struggling to find a cutting edge in their OUA quarterfinal against the Guelph Gryphons, it was the Albanian midfielder who provided the much-needed spark. After threatening the goalmouth periodically throughout the match, McMaster was awarded a golden opportunity to open scoring in the 82nd minute when the Maroon and Grey earned a penalty kick.

And when Anthony Costa’s initial attempt from the spot was beautifully turned aside by the Gryphon keeper, Xhuti grabbed hold of the spotlight. The first-year Marauder ran alertly toward the spilled rebound and hammered it home off of the crossbar and into the gaping net.

Cue pandemonium on the Marauders’ bench and among the smattering of McMaster faithful present at Ron Joyce stadium.

For his part, an obviously jubilant Xhuti ripped off his jersey and sprinted across the pitch with his arms held aloft. The Maroon and Grey would double their advantage only a few minutes later, and seal passage to the OUA’s Final Four tournament in Ottawa in the process. But it was Xhuti’s emotional strike that made that progression a reality.

In the wake of that weekend victory, the young Marauder expressed his elation after scoring a goal of that magnitude.

“It was a great moment,” Xhuti said of the goal. “I had a vision that Costa would miss that penalty, I don’t know why. If you look at the video, I started running as soon as he hit the ball and I didn’t think about anything, I just smashed the ball into the net. It felt incredible afterwards.”

The quarterfinal tally provided yet another reminder of the Albanian’s immense contribution to McMaster’s campaign this year, a yearlong effort that saw Xhuti decorated by the OUA at the conclusion of the regular season.

The midfielder was named as a First Team OUA All-Star and was awarded the province’s Rookie of the Year honour in addition.

It all marks an incredible evolution for a player who found himself out of the sport a year ago.

After playing high-level club soccer with the CSL’s Milltown FC in Milton, Xhuti entered his freshman year at McMaster in 2010 as a member of the faculty of Engineering.

He had high hopes of pursuing his studies while playing soccer at the varsity level, but the demands of his degree convinced the young midfielder to put his Marauder dream on hold.

A year later, in full knowledge of what his program demanded of him, Xhuti returned to the Maroon and Grey. And the results could hardly be better.

The Albanian credits much of his success at the varsity level to the experience he gained in the CSL, where the young midfielder was pitted against grown men and full professionals on a weekly basis.

“The level in the CSL is very high,” said Xhuti. “Playing with older players and more experienced players was a great experience, and it really helped me to grow. There are a lot of players there who played professionally before, and now they’re retired and play there.”

One player in particular had a profound effect on the Marauder’s game, providing a mentor for the raw midfield talent.

“Milltown actually signed a Dutch player who had played in the third division in Holland and he was amazing by comparison to our level,” said Xhuti. “He was a left-footer too, so I tried to look up to him and emulate what he did.”

The baptism by fire that the midfielder received in the CSL has served him well in the OUA this season, but beyond the technical demands of the sport, it is Xhuti’s attitude toward the sport that aids him in maneuvering through the weekly demands of varsity competition.

“I just try to be calm in every game,” explained the midfielder. “I think of it as a lesson every time I play and it keeps building up and up. And here we are. The bottom line is that I try to do everything I can for the team.”

On the topic of the honours he most recently received, Xhuti indicates that he is thankful but that he will not rest on his laurels.

“I felt really good about it when I found out,” said the Marauder rookie of his awards. “But I want to become much better than I am. It’s something nice for right now, but my intentions are to move higher.”

Xhuti will have an opportunity to do just that this coming weekend, as he and his teammates compete at the OUA Final Four in Ottawa.

The tournament will see the Marauders confront a team they have yet to come up against this season in the form of the Carleton Ravens.

But Xhuti believes that unfamiliarity with their opponent will not be a problem for McMaster, and that the team must trust in the brand of soccer that has brought them success to this point.

“It is a bit different,” the midfielder said of the tournament. “Because we haven’t seen them play or played them at all. We’re just going to have to look forward to playing our own game. Up to now, everything’s been working great and so we’ll try to do that again.”

The Marauders’ semifinal test comes on Nov. 5 against the host Ravens.

Jeff Tam