By MIKE KEMMETER
of the Gazette
The Stevens Point Area Senior High boys soccer team is shooting to repeat as Wisconsin Valley Conference champions. But with three new starters on defense, a new goalkeeper and without the conferences scoring leader, the question is "Will they score?"
Coach Mike Madigan believes if the Panthers can gel quickly, the team is ready for another run at the top spot.
"Across the board I think we can be a very good team," Madigan said. "As long as we don't get to a point where they hang their heads."
In the new look Wisconsin Valley Conference, which split into two divisions after Merrill joined this season, Madigan sees Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln and D.C. Everest as contenders.
"We can be contenders if we don't get too far behind early in the season," Madigan said. "Even if we're not in contention, we could and should be a spoiler at the end of the season."
SPASH will join the Red Raiders, the Evergreens and Marshfield in the Southern Division, while Wausau West, Wausau East, Rhinelander and Merrill will make up the Northern Division. On the schedule, each team will play its divisional opponents twice and the teams in the opposite division once.
The Panthers kicked off their season last weekend at the Waunakee Tournament, finishing 1-3.
On the defensive end, senior all-conference team member Travis Laird is back. Around him are three new starters and a new starting goalkeeper, senior Jesse Miech. While not a starter last season, Miech has seen his share of time in net for the varsity team.
"It's new except for Travis and that's probably our weakness from last weekend," Madigan said. "But I feel comfortable with the players we have so we can build a strong unit by the end of the season."
Offensively, the Panthers will be without Brian Bale, who led the WVC in scoring a year ago. Despite the loss, Madigan thinks the team has other players who can step up and would make the offense more diversified.
"We're going to miss him, but we'll have more diversified scoring opportunities," he said.
Among the players Madigan will look to on the offensive end are seniors Steve Reinhardt, Salah Kahn and Noah Jakusz, as well as junior Cheng Yang.
"He's one of our guys that seems to score at will if he gets the opportunity," Madigan said of Jakusz, who was fifth in scoring in the WVC last year. "He has a good left and right foot."
Seniors Chris and Adam Bale and juniors Zach Irons and Cheng Yang are back from last year's varsity team.
Madigan has several new players on his team including a senior foreign exchange student from Norway, Gaute Engan. The other first year varsity players are backup goalkeeper Brian King, juniors Jim LeVasseur, Chris Beeken, Mark Terzynski and Ge Vang; and sophomores Dan Schmeekle and Tunde Olatunji.
Pacelli High School
The Cardinals are looking to build on the 1998 season, which was the best in school history. Pacelli finished second in the conference a year ago and advanced to the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association state quarterfinals.
And under second year coach Manny Carriero, the Cardinals are shooting for the top.
"Right now, our goal is to finish first in the conference," Carriero said, after his team posted a 7-3 conference mark last year.
Carriero said Marshfield Columbus and Waupaca (the 1998 champion) appear to be the teams the Cardinals will battle for the top spot.
Pacelli has a handful of players back from the 1998 team, including first-team all-conference striker Nate Swenson and second-team all-conference goalkeeper Kurt Kramer. The two are the only seniors on a team filled with underclassmen who have varsity experience.
"We're very strong both offensively and defensively. We have a great offense and a great defense," Carriero said. "Physically, the kids are in great shape."
The Cardinals opened their 1999 campaign last weekend at the Gresham Tournament, where they took second.
On the offensive end, juniors Steve Baumhofer (striker), Lyndsey Gagas (midfielder) and Ben Greuel (defensemen) could join Swenson as Pacelli's top scorers.
Other returning juniors are strikers George McCorkell and Josh Schloesser; and defensemen Dustin Fahney and Andy Kedrowski.
Sophomores Matt Felder and Mike Proulx are back as defensemen, while Jamie Friess, Katie Droske, Vanessa Guillemette and Ross Glodowski return as midfielders.
The Cardinals also have seven freshmen - strikers Lyndi Benz-Dean and Carrie Sager; midfielders Dylan Rath, Erin Van Hammond, Cassie Phillip and Jeremy Lundquist; and goalkeeper Tyler Kruzicki.