There was only one way that on the night he became the USL Championship’s all-time appearances leader, Louisville City FC’s Sean Totsch was going to end the night happy.

Between his early goal that proved the difference in his side’s 1-0 victory against Detroit City FC at Keyworth Stadium and a tremendous defensive display that helped chalk up the club’s 10th shutout of the season, Totsch’s 296th regular season appearance was one to savor.

“It’s cool, but for me, it’s always been about the team,” said Totsch. “That’s what makes everything special here. I have my moments, someone else has their moment, and we’re all there to celebrate each other.

“I’m not looking to make anything about myself, and I think that’s really what makes this team great is that we’re a collective group, and no-one’s above the rest. I’m just really grateful to be a part of a special group.”

Totsch’s words underline the type of leader the 34-year-old has been over almost a decade in Louisville, but it also understates the accomplishments the three-time USL Championship title-winner has accomplished.

• RISING TO THE TOP: Since 2020, the Fargo, North Dakota native has been voted to the USL Championship All-League Team on five consecutive occasions. His finish on Saturday, meanwhile, was the 30th of his career, the most of any defender in league history.

• KEEPING IT CLEAN: The club’s shutout on Saturday night was the 89th he’s been part of in the Championship’s regular season, marking 30 percent of his appearances and the most of any individual player in USL-C regular season history.

• STAYING STABLE: On Saturday, he was sterling again at the back, winning 3 of 3 tackles and recording six clearances and three recoveries as LouCity’s defense bent but didn’t break after Totsch’s early header had given the visitors the lead. 

“I thought he was tremendous tonight,” said LouCity Head Coach Danny Cruz. “For him, his consistency over the years is a credit to the work he puts into his craft. Tonight, it was a really well-worked goal between [Amadou Dia], [Taylor Davila] and Josh [Jones], but it’s great ball in and it’s a great finish from him, well deserved.

“But, for me, the most impressive thing for me was his defensive quality. He put in an absolute shift, it’s not easy to defend the way we ask our center backs to defend, but he was a monster tonight.”

Totsch’s landmarks on Saturday could be followed by others as the regular season wraps up. Most notably, should he appear in all four of the club’s remaining regular season games, he would become the first to 300 regular season appearances in league history.

But on the night LouCity moved within reach of clinching the Players’ Shield for the second consecutive season – and one step closer to setting a USL Championship single-season record for points-per-game in the regular season – the team continued to come first.

“It’s that mentality and it’s that belief. That’s what this team is built on and that’s what we’re going to continue to do,” said Totsch. “Obviously, we’re trying to win the [Players’] Shield so that all of the playoff games come through Lynn Family Stadium, but more importantly we want to send a message to all of the teams that we’re not just cruising into the playoffs.

“We’re setting the tone, and we want the teams to feel us that when they’re playing us now, they don’t want to play us again come five, six weeks, whatever it is from now.”