Ten-hut!

When judging the value of a soccer player, sometimes it's easy to overlook midfielders.

Forwards can post gaudy scoring stats, goalkeepers can rack up shutouts. But it can be difficult to quantify the value of midfielders and defenders.

That is not the case with Geneva junior Brady Wahl. Six goals and 11 assists don't sound like numbers that can earn you Beacon-News Boys Soccer Player of the Year honors, but to watch Wahl is to see why he did just that. The Vikings earned a No. 2 seed in the Class 3A postseason en route to compiling an 18-5-2 record, and Wahl's facilitation of the Vikings' pace of play was one of the key reasons why.

"Brady had quite a few assists this year, but more than anything, he dictated our attack," said Geneva coach Ryan Estabrook, whose team also won the Western Sun Conference as well as a regional title. "He's a true midfield general out there. As the season wore on, he became more of a defensive force. He's a great offensive player, but I think he can improve and he's the type of kid that desires to improve."

Wahl worked seamlessly with senior Kevin Hilgart and junior Seamus Kaminski, Geneva's talented starting forwards, to make the Vikings one of the most explosive teams in the area. Their chemistry was evident, and there's a good reason for it. The three play club soccer in the offseason for Campton United, meaning they work together nearly the entire calendar year, an advantage many teams do not have.

"The combo between the three of us was very strong," Wahl said. "Like set pieces, serving the ball in the box -- I know where to find them. I never felt nervous playing a long ball to them. They did a lot of good work for our team."

Estabrook became acquainted with Wahl's skill when he played as a sophomore. But the coach was pleasantly surprised when Wahl showed up for practice this year, as his athleticism increased to complement his talents.

"I didn't realize how good of an athlete he was until this year," Estabrook said. "Technically, he gets the kids and he's thinking at a higher level than other players. He's got exceptional skill. When you combine that, you begin to see why he is such a dominant player out on the field."

People in soccer circles certainly noticed Wahl's skill through the years. In addition to starring for Campton United, one of the top club teams in the state, he also played two years on the Olympic Development team. This year he also earned IHSCAA All-State recognition, one of the few underclassmen to receive that honor.

"It was very cool when Coach told me about that," Wahl said. "It's good to see that when you're younger, the hard work when you're a kid can build your career up to win an award like that, especially being a junior. Glad to see my hard work has paid off for me."

The college recruiting process is in full swing for Wahl. A handful of Big Ten schools, as well as some from the Mid-American and Missouri Valley conferences, have contacted him. And besides all the superlatives Estabrook has bestowed upon his center midfielder, there is one more factor that makes Wahl enticing to Division I programs.

"One of the reasons why he gets so many looks right now is that he's a left-footed player (just like former Vikings star Katy Lindenmuth, who went on to star at Wisconsin)," Estabrook said. "It's a rarity to have a left-footed player, so he's quite a commodity. Those big schools like the left-footer, so it adds a lot to the marketability when they go into college."

Wahl has already begun training with Campton United with a trip to North Carolina for a big tournament in two weeks, a tournament that will be crawling with college coaches. He has an eye on early 2010 for making his college choice so he can get it out of the way before his senior season.

"I've been talking to a couple of schools; they're coming to see me play in tournaments," Wahl said. "I'd like to get it done early in the year. Hopefully with my club tournaments I can (make my decision) quickly. But it's all about finding the right fit. If it takes longer than that, that's fine. I set a goal when I was younger that I would like to take my game to the next level."