Mooney's 'Kiki' Willis repeats as top area player

The junior scored 50 goals this season to give him 116 in his career.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- After the most productive offensive season ever by an area soccer player, it should be a surprise to no one that Cardinal Mooney High junior Ken "Kiki" Willis has repeated as The Vindicator boys Player of the Year.
Willis, the only sophomore to make the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's All-American team last year, repeated that honor, as well.
Exact records are difficult to obtain, but it's unlikely any area high school player ever scored 40 goals in a season. This fall Willis scored 50 times for the Cardinals (19-1-1).
"There are some kids that you can tell them what you want, but you got to tell them how to do it," said Mooney coach Lenny Krispinsky, a veteran of 22 seasons.
"He has enough talent and game-sense that all I need to do is give him suggestions," he added. "I don't try to cramp his style in any way. He knows what has to be done. Sometimes he just has to be reminded of it."
Fourth-best in Ohio
The 50-goal season is the fourth-highest production ever in the state, and leaves Willis with 116 scores in three years, 38 shy of the Ohio career mark.
"I kind of made that a statement before this season started," said Willis of the half-century goal plateau. "I wanted to be able to break the record.
"That all came from the help of my teammates getting me the ball, and just me doing what I can do with it and putting the ball in the back of the net as many times as I could."
As a freshman, when the Cardinals reached the regional tournament the first time, Willis was named second-team all-state. Last fall, Mooney won the state title and he was picked first-team all-Ohio.
Were No. 6
The Cardinals were ranked as high as sixth in the country this season before losing in the regional final. Willis was selected the Ohio Div. II Player of the Year.
"He's the best player I ever coached and the best player to ever come out of this area," said Krispinsky.
Despite the constant offensive presence Willis poses, Krispinsky likes to talk about the final four goals the Cardinals scored in 2002 during their run to the state crown.
Willis didn't score any of the final four goals but assisted on three of them.
"He's the most unselfish player that I've ever coached," said Krispinsky. "By his skill and his talent level, sometimes we have to tell him to be a little more selfish. He is unselfish to a fault."
Future
Willis, also a varsity basketball player at Mooney, still faces an important senior season that could climax a fabled, schoolboy career.
Mooney will return nine soccer starters off a team that was ranked first in the state all season. Willis will be wooed by many premier college soccer programs. He could be the top individual goal scorer in Ohio history. He's been offered professional contracts in Europe.
And, Major League Soccer, which just signed 14-year-old Freddie Adu, has awarded a franchise to Cleveland.
"Next year we could be a lot better," he said of the 2004 Cardinals. The University of Michigan is actively recruiting Willis.
"If I don't end up going to Europe, I probably will go to Michigan. They update me every week on how the team is doing."
Pro possibilities
Could the MLS be in his future?
"If I could ever get a chance to go there before I graduate [high school], I'd definitely take a contract," Willis said.
The MLS has a program called Nike/Project 40 where funds are available for players to continue their education.
Sounds like a lot of options. Just like Willis when he gets the soccer ball in the open field.
sullivan@vindy.com