Recognized for his accomplishments in School and Club Play

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Forward Matt Moses knows how to think like a defender -- he is one.

The Aquinas soccer player led the Fighting Irish in goals this season, but he is a defender for his club team, Cobb FC Premier.

The junior uses what he learns at the positions by taking those experiences with him when he hits the field for Aquinas or for the Atlanta club. That helped him spark the Fighting Irish offense this year, when he scored 24 goals and added eight assists to be named The Augusta Chronicle 's boys soccer player of the year.

"High school helps me for club because I have the mentality of a forward, so defending them, I know what they tend to do," Moses said. "Same thing with playing forward. I kind of know what defenders will tend to do, trying to push you one side to the other and how to just stop that."

Entering the season, Moses knew he had to become more of a leader because the Irish lost some veteran players from the previous year's team, which made the state semifinals. Aquinas also battled through a setback this season when Daniel Leonard, who scored 10 goals in 10 games, was injured.

Moses and his teammates responded, winning the region for the seventh consecutive season and advancing to the Class A state quarterfinals. Moses scored three goals as Aquinas beat South Aiken, 3-2, despite the team getting lost on the way to the game.

The 6-foot-1 forward juggled a lot of responsibilities this school year, as he played high school and club soccer but also worked as treasurer of the junior class and was a member of both the National Honor Society and the Spanish Club.

Moses often did homework while his dad drove him to Atlanta to work with the club.

At Cobb FC Premier, Moses started as a forward but ran into some struggles.

After a tough month or two, his coach made a switch.

"I was on the bench for a little bit, and then the coach was like, 'Go right back,' " Moses said about the new position. "And I went right back for one tournament and I just did phenomenal. I've been playing there ever since."

Moses likes scoring goals, but he enjoys playing defense with his club team, especially since he's given freedom to act like a midfielder.

Moses, who has verbally committed to Mercer, said he felt like a senior this past month because he has already made his college decision.

But Moses still has another season left with the Irish, and he wants to prepare for it by building his upper body strength and continuing to improve by going to camps.

He has come a long way since the days of playing on the PVC soccer goals, and Moses is determined to keep on going strong.

"I might not be technically the best, but I'm going to push until I have nothing left," Moses said.