Bay's Milo Hignett controls the ball during a game against Lake Catholic in the Division II district final on Nov. 4, 2023. (Noel Witheright – Morning Journal)
Bay's Milo Hignett wreaked havoc all over the field, earning the respect of his opponents and becoming an All-American candidate to end his high school career.
Hignett, who became a senior captain this fall, had aspirations to play at the next level. The only question was where he would go.
On March 28th, his next residence became somewhat clear. He announced his decision to play for John Carroll this fall. Hignett said having a family nearby to watch over him as a Blue Streak played a big role in his choice.
“I visited John Carroll in May and had a great time,” Hignett said. “I thought it was a really good school. It had all the non-football-related intangibles that I knew would be a good fit for me when I visited.”
Hignett already knew some of John Carroll's players — Bay alumni Aidan Bozak and Cade Gargier, as well as players from the club circuit. Perhaps the biggest selling point for the All-Americans is assistant coach Ante Pirekic, who coached one of Hignett's previous travel clubs.
“To this day, I think he's probably the best coach I've ever had in my life, so that was a big factor as well,” Hignett said.
Pirekic's influence and coach-player relationship allowed Hignett to know the staff had his best interests at heart.
“The year Ante coached me, my Challenger team was undefeated,” Hignett recalled. “Every practice we had was business. Never in my life, or rather in my soccer career, have I seen such dedication pay off. For me to really develop. , I know that the first few years at John Carroll will require dedication and hard work. I know from personal experience that he can provide that.”
Hignett becomes the latest All-American coach to be produced by Bobby Dougherty's Rockets, joining two-time All-American Ethan Jacobs and 2022 All-American Million Evans.
Hignett is hungry to compete. The title is great, but in his eyes, he hasn't earned anything yet with John Carroll.
“When you put a title on your back, when you put a target on your back, some people get crushed by the expectations. That's not me,” Hignett declared. “That's not me. Then I'll try harder.”
It goes back to the soccer culture Doherty instilled in the Bay, which is a big part of moving the Blue Streaks efforts forward. In practice, the Rockets have focused on weaknesses, which have been a big piece of the puzzle in their 12th straight Bay Region appearance.
Another key point was convincing the highly competitive Hignett to stay local and go to John Carroll, competing for championships in a school community-focused environment.
“I'm really excited to be playing with guys I know and guys I used to play with and competing again in a high school environment where I feel like I'm playing for my school. always felt it was more exciting to play for the community than for the club. They're a very good program, so I'm excited to win some trophies with them.”
