RSS Feed
|
|
Links: |
 |
Bee Home Page |
|
WNY Events |
|
Classifieds |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Amherst goes back to basics, returns couple starters For the first time in his tenure with Amherst Central boys soccer, third-year coach Bobby DiNunzio is experiencing turnover heading into a season. Thirteen players, including eight starters, are gone from last year's 10-2-2 team, including ECIC Division III all-stars, goalie Mike Schriever, defender Steve Devlin and Will Gowen and midfielders Kevin Rogers and Wyatt Jacobi. "It's a lot harder and gets frustrating at times," said DiNunzio. "We're doing a lot of basic stuff, a lot of ball work skills and work with the feet that hopefully will translate on the field." With so many new players, Di- Nunzio knows his team will need to put forth a lot of effort. "If they work hard, they'll be fine," DiNunzio said. "If they don't work hard, it could be a long year because I know there's some good talent out there and they're going to have to match the other team's work rate." The only returning starters are seniors Sam Suggs and Kurt Ebsary. Suggs is back at defense where he will play at stopper or outside right back. "He never gives up," said DiNunzio. "He's played for me for three years so I know what I'm going to get out of him." Ebsary, a returning ECIC III third team all-star in the midfield, will play at center halfback or forward. "He's not afraid to mix it up," said DiNunzio. Ebsary is a co-captain with senior Alex Portin, who would have started in the midfield but spent most of last year nursing a hip flexor injury. The 6-foot Portin, who can kick with his right and left foot, might also play at defense. "I told him 'this is your team' when I gave him the captainship last year," said DiNunzio of Portin. "We'll go as far as he can take us. He's very knowledgeable about the game and his technique is good. He also plays year round so he knows what to do with the ball." Also back is junior midfielder Jack Barrick, who DiNunzio brought up from JV halfway through the 2006 season. Barrick, a returning ECIC III all-star, played with DiNunzio's select soccer team over the summer. DiNunzio said Barrick could play anywhere he needs him. "He could play halfback in the middle with Kurt, on the outside, or on defense," said DiNunzio. Other contributing Tigers will be junior midfield/forward William O'Neil-White, a transfer from the Park School of Buffalo, senior forward Bridger Langfur, senior outside midfielder Ben Gaughan, sophomore forward Ali Adil and junior outside back Phil Beaudet. Langfur saw playing time at forward last year. Gaughan was a reserve on varsity and is a potential starter. Adil was brought up from JV at the end of the year and could be rotated in the lineup. Beaudet strictly played JV. Junior Steve Mugel (midfield/defense), Peter Blanford (defense) and Mike Szymkowiak (midfield), all from JV, and senior Joe Stocking, a returning varsity player, also could be rotated in the lineup. Sophomore Joe Pittari, who started on JV as a freshman, replaces Schriever in net. Rounding out the team is senior defenders Steve Arlington and Brett Bush; senior midfield/forward Randy Simwa; Michael Ouamagbe, a senior defense/midfielder from Nigeria; junior midfielders Robert Crabtree and Sean Mullane; and junior defender Lucas Harty. Amherst opened its season on Tuesday against West Seneca East but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. They play Kenmore West on Thursday at Lancaster. "Whatever happens is going to happen," said DiNunzio. "We have a lot of first-time players on varsity so they're going to make mistakes. Hopefully, the top five or six guys will hold the group together and the other five or six can be the role players that they need to be."
"We've got guys that can score and get balls out of the back but the core players will have to bring their 'A' game every night or we're going to struggle," he added. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
News
