A big, smart, highly skilled and hungry forward is the ultimate treasure for a soccer team.

For a team to have two?

Check in with No. 1 and defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference Loyola Blakefield, which features seniors Dan Klink and Sammie Walker.

Klink, the returning All-Metro Player of the Year and a North Carolina commit, is 6-foot-3 with a relentless approach and a knack for producing in big moments. Walker, a second-team All-Metro pick headed to West Virginia, is a smidge taller than Klink with fluid ball skills to match his overwhelming physical traits.

Collectively, the duo’s smooth connection is an opponent’s puzzling nightmare.

“They’re both complete players that can do it all,” Dons’ first-year coach Geaton Caltabiano said. “They can physically overwhelm you. They have the skill set to beat you on the dribble, combine around you. And the way they combine together is special. Not all forwards with that ability can combine with one another, and the way they work off each other is unique.”

As freshmen, the pair started their careers battling for time at midfield. As sophomores, Klink stayed at midfield, while Walker moved up front. During last year’s unbeaten, championship season under former coach Mike Marciano, Klink played up front while Walker moved back to the attacking midfielder.When Caltabiano got the job during the offseason, one of his first considerations was where he wanted to play his two standouts to maximize their potential. Up front — side by side — has proven to be the spot-on answer. After Tuesday’s stunning 7-0 win over No. 6 Calvert Hall — Walker finished with three goals and one assist while Klink added two tallies — the Dons (6-0-1) improved to 4-0-1 in conference play going into Friday’s home game against Mount Saint Joseph. Walker has 11 goals and four assists with Klink providing 10 goals and three assists.

“Obviously, it’s a blessing having a guy as talented as Sammie always around you on the field,” Klink said. “We share a lot of qualities — like our size — and I think it’s a big plus having us side by side more. It’s just a lot for teams to contend with — a real constant threat.”

From the healthy competition as freshmen to the start of their fourth season, the two have consistently added layers to their game and made a special bond. One of the biggest common traits is their priority in wanting to help the Dons win games.

Last season, the Dons had the program’s first unbeaten season with a 14-0-4 mark that delivered their third league championship. Klink supplied eight goals and eight assists — highlighted by a sensational two-goal performance in the Dons’ 3-1 win over John Carroll in the title game — with Walker breaking out for 11 goals and two assists.

“We’ve both improved technically a bunch over the last couple years and, most importantly, I feel our chemistry has improved a lot. We had some friendly competition our [freshmen] year and I think it made both of us better players,” Walker said. “It’s really important for us to work together, create space. And it’s really dangerous when we can get into the free flow of the game also knowing we can break it up with our individual physicality. It’s really fun, free-flowing.”

An experienced and highly capable cast around them has afforded Caltabiano to use his stars up front. Midfielder Cal Lackner is a key link with center back Ryan Andrews making a smooth adjustment from the flank to anchor a defense that also returned goalie Drew Mattingly.

“My first thought was to play them at center forward thinking nobody would be able to hang with them for a full game,” Caltabiano said. “What I quickly learned was the closer they are to each other and the closer they are to an opponent’s goal, the better off we are. I want them to stay high, be attack-minded and as close to each other so they can combine as much as possible. The more they combine, the more chances they create and they end up creating a lot of headaches for the other team.”

McDonogh coach Brandon Quaranto, whose Eagles managed a solid 2-2 tie against the Dons in the opening week of the season, can attest to the constant pressure the duo brings to defenses.

“A handful is the perfect word for them,” he said. “Either could arguably be the best forward in our league and the focal point of an offense and carry the load themselves. But then when you get them together, it’s a real dilemma for opposing teams as to how to deal with both of them. It’s a real challenge and it’s an 80-minute challenge because they’re guys that, if you don’t see them for the first 10 or so minutes, which is rare, they pop up and can score two or three goals in the next five minutes.”

Lackner’s quality vision and passing skills help jumpstart the show.

“Obviously, their height stands out. But what people don’t expect is how good they are with their feet and their ability to combine and move off each other,” he said. “The one touch and chemistry is something defenses have a tough time to stop. They’re just such big targets with great movement that it makes them easy to find and their ability to put the ball in the back of the net is just a great scenario for us.”

Last year’s championship game win showcased Klink and Walker. Klink opened the scoring late in the first half on a header. He made it 2-0 minutes into the second half with a pure finish before Walker provided the third goal with 13 minutes left to put the game out of reach.

“To win that, it was nothing I’ve felt before because it’s something I’ve wanted so bad since I got here,” Walker said. “And to play such a complete game, really technically wipe them off the field was really special. The feeling was really immense, just immense joy.”

The defending champion tag brings every team’s best, but the two stars are determined to lead the Dons to a second straight championship.

“We consider it a privilege to have this target on our backs,” Klink said. “So we’re having a good time with it, trying to enjoy it as much as we can with this being our senior year. We all acknowledge that in the locker room, on the field and are continuing to build our chemistry, I think this year can be as good if not better than last year.”