VINCENT - Every time that Warren High School senior Caleb Jones touched the soccer ball with his feet, something extraordinary happened.
And it wasn't because he made some fancy play and counted on athleticism to make it work.
Instead, Jones fundamentally beat his opponents with the ball and created opportunities for his team to succeed.
That style of play is exactly what the Ohio Dominican University Panthers embody when they step on the field. It's the "death by a thousand passes" philosophy and Jones feels right at home.
"They're not brawlers. They just try to use their superiority with their foot skills," Jones said.
Jones, who was a four year starter with the Warrior soccer team, signed his National Letter of Intent to play soccer for the Panthers at Warren High School Wednesday afternoon.
The reputation of the Panthers and their style of play, which Jones has been playing for a long time, made the NCAA Division II school the right fit for him to continue his soccer career.
While he played as a midfielder for the Warriors, Jones will be making a small transition to the backfield with the Panthers as Ohio Dominican returns their midfield while losing their goalie and three of their back four.
"I actually got recruited as a center back," Jones said.
Jones is familiar with that type of position as Warren soccer coach Ekrem Eksi has helped develop versatility in the skilled midfielder. During his freshman campaign, when the Warriors were loaded with midfielders and strikers, Jones simply played anywhere and everywhere on the field when it was asked of him.
So, he knows how to contribute no matter where he's at on the pitch.
"It's been good to get a little versatility," Jones said.
Though he could have taken his skills to any number of universities and colleges, Ohio Dominican had another aspect in its favor as the school is just under two hours away from home, giving his parents a chance to watch him play while still providing a sense of independence.
"My mom's my biggest fan so it'll be good to see her at a few games," Jones said.
As a student at Ohio Dominican, Jones figures to major in political science but that's just a step towards his larger career goals.
After getting his political science degree, Jones wants to head to law school.
Before he gets to law school, however, Jones is going to find his way to keep soccer in his life as he's going to try getting into coaching.
His older brother has already done the same thing, and Jones believes it's a great fit for him.
"I felt like I could probably do that, too," Jones said. "It's a way to stay involved in soccer."
Last year Ohio Dominican posted a 13-5-2 record, including a 9-2-1 conference record as one of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's best teams.
