Red Riders Seeking Defense of Titles
St. C.’s Dutton tries to capitalize on amazing seasonBy JOSH STROPE
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Following is the second in a series of three articles profiling the area's boys' and girls' soccer teams for the 2008 season. The profiles were compiled from information sheets provided by each team's coach. Today's story highlights the OVAC Second Division boys' and girls' squads. The series will conclude Wednesday with the Third Division teams).
By JOSH STROPE
Staff Writer
BOYS
Indian Creek
Danny Lawrence was an assistant coach for Indian Creek last season and watched the school post an 0-16 record.
Now, he is the head coach and is doing his best to push the Redskins to respectability.
''After going winless in a season, a team has two options - sit at the bottom or work to achieve greatness,'' Lawrence said.
The Redskins had plenty of time to get as many players as possible in last season to find something that works and the reward is returning 15 lettermen, including senior Ben Leone and junior Brandon Mathieu. A.J. Brettell was the leading scorer for Indian Creek in 2007.
Lawrence is also looking for big things from Nick and Jordan VanKirk, Mitchell Lawrence, Justin Walker, and Anthony Morelli.
''This year, we will not be an easy win as I believe in them and they believe in each other,'' Coach Lawrence said.
Oak Glen
Oak Glen brings 10 letterwinners back in 2008 as it tries to improve on last season's 5-11-3 record.
Seniors Kyle Porter, Ryan Asbury, and Nick Evans, along with juniors Seth Tustin, Alec James, Jomar Shaffer, Charles Laughlin, Nathan Manypenny, Jonathan Smearan, and Kyle Fields will be in charge of accomplishing that task.
''We have a solid core of players,'' Oak Glen coach Sam Paletta said. ''The key to the season will be for the seniors and juniors to bring the freshmen along as quickly as they can.
''Kyle Porter and Ryan Asbury should have outstanding seasons with Nick Evans playing solid defense. Several of the juniors are on the verge of a breakout season.''
Freshmen Brandon Markham, Alex Bennett, Zack Ralph, Steven Murray, and Philip Micinac will be battling for playing time.
St. Clairsville
St. Clairsville is in full rebuilding mode having graduated seven seniors and losing two foreign exchange students.
Second-year coach Gary Watt's job will be to try to bridge the gap between the six returning lettermen and the 13 incoming freshmen that hit the soccer field in early August.
Phil Gross, Brady Hunt, Anthony Bennett, Travis Ellison, Steven Keating, and Ethan Kozel will give Watt the experience factor.
The success of the team will then ultimately depend on how well the underclassmen can gel.
Promising newcomers for the Red Devils are Jonathan Ebbert, Matt Yudasz, Bryce Bonnette, Logan Young, Nick Sherman, Connor Sherman, and A.J. Ball.
''There is great anticipation coming into the season,'' Watt said. ''We have a solid core returning to monitor the incoming freshmen and first-year soccer players.''
Tyler Consolidated
The Tyler Consolidated program has continued to grow since beginning soccer six years ago, and Coach Scott Wall thinks this may be the season.
''We are returning all but two starters from last year's team,'' Wall said. ''The boys have worked harder this offseason than any offseason since I have been coaching.''
Leading the way for the Silver Knights in 2008 will be a crop of returning lettermen led by Bryn Perkey, Tommy Burkhardt, Troy Wable, Steven Chaplin, Mack Haught, Spencer Kinnard, Alex Jones, Curtis Romine, Dustin Snider, Trent Tuttle, Garrett Amos, Justin Cooper, B.J. Eastham.
''We hope that the hard work translates into our team achieving the goals we have set this season,'' Wall said. ''The experienced squad we have should push us in that direction.''
Weir
Joe Pepe's Weir High team will be one of the youngest in the valley, but if anyone knows how to rebuild a program in the OVAC, it's the 16-year leader of the Red Riders.
Weir lost a talented group from the defending division champions that included starting goaltender Milan Martich, as well as Strider Babinchok, Patrick Duke, and T.J. Morgan.
''We are very young this year with only two seniors,'' Pepe said. ''With a little hard work, we could be very competitive.''
Returning lettermen for Weir are Thomas Bell, Chad Butler, Stephen Felton, Chester Barnabei, Chad Ford, Johnny Pennacchio, Marc Harris, Matt Kopp, Tylor Salko, and Cameron Raush.
East Liverpool
No information submitted by coach
Edison
GIRLS
Brittney McKee wrote her name in the Edison history books last season by becoming the all-time leading scorer with 42 goals.
After missing out on the OVAC Cup festivities, McKee, Coach Jeremy Angelo, and the rest of the Wildcats are sure to have a trip back in their sights.
The rest of the Edison squad consists of seniors Jenna Alloggia, Kayla Carder, Kara Drabick, Heidi Hickle, and Vickie Johnson, juniors Kayla Brown, Maria Fiala, Sam Saccaroccia, Brittany Furbee, and Sammi Merritt, and sophomores Jordan Byaley and Chrissa Myler.
''We have a good mix of older and younger players this season,'' Angelo said. ''With good senior leaders, hard work, and a little luck, we hope to have a good season.''
Indian Creek hasn't had much success on the soccer field lately and Jerry Emley is aboard to try and turn the team back into a winner.
The Redskins will be led by seniors Katie Dunn, Rachel Powers, and Lindsey Ward.
Other returning letterwinners are juniors Corin Kleineke, Rebecca VanDine, and Kristin Wendell, along with sophomore Hannah Emley.
''We have a lot of new players and many look very promising,'' Jerry Emley said. ''We are a young team and a building program.
''Our goal this year is to improve on last year's record and build a solid soccer program at Indian Creek and we have a lot of girls that are dedicated to achieving that goal.''
St. Clairsville posted an impressive 13-3-2 record in 2007 behind a talented team led by Jaclyn Dutton.
The junior standout is back after a season in which she became a first-team All-Valley and All-OVAC selection. The OVAC selected her the Player of the Year for her 42 goals and 12 assists.
Returning to play alongside Dutton this season is Melanie Beeson, Kate Hodgson, Katie Tomassetti, Natalie Ellison, Chelsea Wamsley, Jo Burdyn, Kara Kenzora, Courtney Moulder, Katie Olszeski, Shinnae Spooner, and Laura Smith.
''I am very excited about the upcoming season,'' St. Clairsville coach Joe Kubik said. ''We should be a faster team this year with a lot of potential.
''Our freshmen girls have a lot of potential and one or two have the potential to be a starter. All they need is the experience.''
The OVAC Division II champions in 2007 with a 16-3-2 record, Weir put a major scare into Wheeling Park in the OVAC Cup Tournament that almost ended the Patriots' 11-season championship run.
But just as in years before, Weir couldn't get over the hump.
Again, the Red Riders looked to be stacked and are prepared to make another run at the OVAC Cup title and a possible a deep run in the state tournament.
Weir has 14 returning lettermen, all whom were big contributors to the varsity team. Leading the way for the Red Riders is Kandis Castelli, goalkeeper Paige Dalrymple, Megan Duke, and Nikki Robinson.
''From the look of our preseason scrimmages and the work ethic of my players, we should have a successful season,'' said Chris LeFever, the OVAC Coach of the Year in 2007 in his first season on the job. ''We have another large freshman class, which shows that our program is building.''
