2006 Men's Soccer Outlook

08/21/06 4:55PM

- With the tradition of winning and postseason invitations well in tow, the William and Mary soccer program will enter the 2006 season out to prove that the 2005 version was nothing more than an anomaly. While the program’s consecutive winning seasons streak of 30 came to a close, the facts support that the Tribe were only a few bounces away from possibly finding themselves in postseason position.

While the Tribe’s record during 2005 was 4-9-5, first appearances can be deceiving. During the campaign, W&M lost five matches to teams ranked in the top 20, including four by a single goal. In all, eight of the team’s nine defeats were by a single tally, including a trio of overtime setbacks. Couple those statistics with the fact that just three games into the season, the squad lost its top offensive threat in all-conference and all-region forward Pat Scherder.

William and Mary returns seven starters and 16 letterwinners from the 2005 squad. Included in those returners is 72.4 percent (21-of-29) of the Tribe’s scoring offense from last season. That number also is boosted by Scherder, who scored 15 goals in his first three seasons with the Green and Gold. Add to the mix seven dynamic freshmen, the Tribe will have an outstanding blend of experience and youth to build upon the program’s storied past.

Goalkeeper
The Tribe returns both of its starting goalkeepers from a season ago, and third-year head coach Chris Norris expects a battle for the starting honors throughout the preseason. Fifth-year senior Kris Rake has started 51 games in his first three seasons in net, while junior Brennan Wergley started the final six games of the 2005 season, finishing with three shutouts.

“Goalkeeper is a position where we have a lot of depth and experience,” Norris said. “Kris has started a number of games for us over the last three years. Brennan Wergley came on and did a good job in the final six games of last season. I expect it to be a real battle during the preseason.”

Rake enters the 2006 campaign ranked fifth in W&M history in saves and sixth in shutouts and career goals against average (1.30). The Flower Mound, Texas native has 22 career victories between the pipes for the Tribe. During the summer of 2006, Rake posted three shutouts in his first four games with the Williamsburg Legacy of the PDL. He finished the PDL season with a GAA of 0.86.

Wergley came on during the final six games of his junior tilt. He became the first W&M player to record three straight overtime shutouts (all 0-0 games) against JMU (Oct. 21), VCU (Oct. 23) and Towson (Oct. 28). Wergley recorded a total of 41 saves over the six games, including six or more in every contest, to go along with a 1.20 GAA.

The Tribe has another veteran backup in fifth-year senior Scott Kelsey. Kelsey performed well during the spring season, and has the experience if called upon. W&M also added a goalkeeper in the class of 2006. Freshman Andrew McAdams earned all-state honors at Berkeley Prep in Florida. He was a member of the ODP program in the state and led his team to the 2004 Florida state championship.

Back
The W&M backline sports a quartet of returning players with starting experience, but will also benefit from the influx from both young and experienced talent. Fifth-year senior Jeff Marklin returns as a three-year starter at back for the Tribe, while juniors Mike Yakovac, Ryan Sells and Chris Wayne have started during their first two seasons in the Green and Gold.

“We feel good about our defense,” Norris said. “If we can get off to a good start with our experience at back and in goal, we feel like we should be able to defend well against anyone we play.”

Senior Brendan McCurdy moved to the back position during the spring season after playing 51 games and scoring eight goals at the forward spot for the Tribe. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., native garnered rave reviews from the coaching staff during the spring and enjoyed success in helping guide the Williamsburg Legacy to the PDL Eastern Conference playoffs. McCurdy started 16 of the 17 games for the Legacy at center back.

McCurdy will combine with Marklin, who has started 48 games over his W&M career on the backline. The pair combined and garnered valuable experience together in the middle of the defense for the Legacy. Marklin played in 11 games and started seven. With the duo anchoring the Legacy defense, Williamsburg finished with five shutouts and only allowed 20 regular-season goals, which ranked 14th in the 59-team PDL.

“We try to play with four in the back to start,” Norris said. “Our back four has a lot of experience. We moved Brendan McCurdy from a wide midfielder/forward to a center back during the spring, and he adapted very well. He has continued that with a strong summer playing with the Legacy. We expect him and Jeff Marklin, who is a fifth-year and returning captain, to be our two starters at the center back positions.”

Sells has started 26 games over the last two seasons at back. As a redshirt freshman in 2004, he was named the team’s Co-Rookie of the Year along with Yakovac. Wayne and Yakovac have started 17 and 13 games, respectively, over the last two seasons. Wayne started 16 games as a sophomore and earned valuable experience over the summer with the Mid-Atlantic Division champion Virginia Beach Submariners of the PDL. Yakovac earned CAA All-Rookie Team honors as a redshirt freshman in 2004.

Another new face to the Tribe backline that will push for playing time is freshman Roger Bothe. The Chester, Va., native enjoyed a sterling prep career that included back-to-back state championships and perfect seasons. Bothe was named the 2005-06 Gatorade Virginia High School Player of the Year. He also garnered the Virginia High School Coaches Association (VHSL) Group AAA Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.

“We add a talented young player to the mix in Roger Bothe, whose credentials speak for themselves,” Norris said. “Roger has gained some great experience late in the summer with the Richmond Kickers of the PDL. We expected him to challenge at either center back or left back.”

Midfield
The most uncertain of the Tribe positions lies in the midfield, but those unknowns are not due to a lack of experience. W&M has a wealth of returning experience in the midfield. In fact, four players on the roster have starting experience in the middle of the park, including 93 total games over the last three seasons.

Sophomore Doug McBride will anchor the four-man Tribe midfield from the holding midfield position. In his rookie campaign, he was one of three players to earn the team’s best rookie award. McBride started 17 matches in the midfield for the College as a redshirt freshman.

“When I think of our midfield, the first thing that comes to mind is Doug McBride, who barring injury will play as our holding midfielder,” Norris said. “He has really become a rock for us playing deep in the midfield and trying to dictate our possession, while trying to break up the other team’s attack. He is an incredibly hard-working and honest player, who does not make very many mistakes.”

The coaching staff has big expectations for a pair of midfielders in junior Doug Ernst and freshman Price Thomas. Ernst played in every match as a sophomore, including nine starts. He finished with three assists on the campaign. Though he has yet to display the skills in a Tribe uniform, Ernst had a prolific goal-scoring career in prep and club soccer. In fact, he set his high school record for goals in a season with 15 as a senior, and goals in a career with 33.

“Doug is a guy who we have big expectations for this year,” Norris said. “He really started to come on during the spring and finally scored a couple of goals, which we expect him to do. It is time for him to accept responsibility for scoring out of midfield.”

Thomas finished his four-year prep career at Albermarle with 25 goals and 20 assists. He garnered First-Team Commonwealth District as well as All-Northwest Region and All-Central Virginia nods as a junior and senior.

“We knew that one of the priorities in recruiting needed to be finding an attacking midfielder,” Norris said. “Somebody with some flare, creativity, athleticism and that has the ability to break down the other team’s defense with and without the ball. The first guy we found was Price, and we were fortunate enough to get him.”

Sophomore Brock Jones returns as the top midfield scorer in 2005. The Ridgefield, Conn., native finished with 12 points on five goals and two assists. He also notched the game-winner against Delaware on his way to sharing the team’s best rookie honor.

“Brock was second on the team in goals and points as a freshman,” Norris said. “He had a difficult spring missing time after having surgery, but we feel like he could have a breakout season for us this year. Although he is extremely versatile, we expect him to start out as a wide midfield option.”

Junior Ryan Overdevest has experience both wide and in the attacking midfield position. He played in 25 games, including four starts wide in the midfield for the Tribe, but moved to the attacking position during the spring.

“Ryan is tireless with great work rate and stamina,” Norris said. “He is a very honest player, who shoots the ball well from distance and reads the game and arrives in the box from midfield well.”

Redshirt freshman Jeremy Harris along with freshmen Rob Godwin, Steve Renner and Preston Whitlock could see time in the midfield. Harris missed his rookie season with the Tribe due to injury after earning Eastern Virginia Group AAA Player of the Year honors at Frank W. Cox High school.

Godwin was a first-team all-state selection in Maryland with an exceptional high school career that included 220 points on 79 goals and 62 assists.

Forwards
After only scoring 20 and 29 goals in each of the last two seasons, the Tribe will look for an offensive explosion of sorts given the returning depth and scoring power at the striker position. Along with returning starters and two of the teams leading scorers in senior Jarrett Thomas and sophomore Andrew Hoxie, W&M will welcome back All-CAA and all-region performer, fifth-year senior Pat Scherder, who missed most of the 2005 season with an injury, but received a medical redshirt from the NCAA.

“Getting Patrick back is better than getting a top recruit because you get not only the productivity, but the leadership and intangibles from a fifth-year senior,” Norris said. “We expect a big season from Patrick, and I know he expects one from himself as well. His pace, which is almost unmatched at our level of college soccer, is irreplaceable. I know if Patrick stays healthy he will score a number of goals, but also draw attention and create chances for his teammates.”

Scherder has scored 16 career goals over his W&M career, while starting 39 games at the forward position. After suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2005 campaign, Scherder returned to game action with the Williamsburg Legacy of the PDL during the summer of 2006. He excelled, especially toward the end of the year as his fitness improved. He ranked second on the team with 11 points and five goals. He notched a pair of two-goal games over the final month of the season and helped the Legacy to the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Hoxie stepped into the void left by Scherder as a freshman and filled in admirably. The 6-4, 188-pounder earned CAA All-Rookie Team accolades as he scored five goals and finished with 11 points in his first season. Hoxie started for the Legacy during the summer and earned PDL Team of the Week honors in the final week of the season after helping his team clinch a playoff berth with five points on two goals and an assist in a 6-2 win over Richmond.

“Last year, Andrew led the forwards in terms of minutes played,” Norris said. “He is a big target forward. We put a lot of pressure on him when we lost Patrick Scherder to injury. Andrew did a good job of carrying the load and being dangerous against a very tough schedule.”

Thomas won the Tribe’s golden boot, leading the team in scoring with 16 points and seven goals. He notched a pair of two-goal games and added a pair of game-winning strikes against VMI and Drexel. He ranked ninth in the CAA in points, 10th in goals.

“Jarrett is incredibly quick and probably one of the best pure finishers we have ever had at William and Mary,” Norris said. “He is lethal around the box. He has worked hard to improve his play from 18-to-18 and his defensive integrity as a front player. We think, given enough opportunities, he will be a scoring threat for us again in 2006.”

The Tribe will also have the liberty of allowing freshman Alan Koger to develop under the wealth of experience at forward. Koger garnered Region IV and Piedmont District Player of the Year honors as a senior at Magna Vista High School in Spencer, Va. He also was a three-year all-state honoree.

Schedule
The College will waste little time, starting the season with a bang. W&M travels to the Wake Forest adidas Classic to battle a pair of ACC teams in Wake Forest and North Carolina. The Tribe will open with the preseason No. 3 (College Soccer News) Tarheels on Aug. 25, before facing the host and preseason No. 19 (CSN) Demon Deacons on Aug. 27.

“Our philosophy has always been to play as tough a schedule as we can,” Norris said. “Not only does it prepare our team well, if you are a good enough team to have a shot and make a run at postseason play, but it also gives you the best chance if you win the right games and win enough of them, to get an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Historically, we have been pretty successful, at least over the last 15 years, of getting at-large bids.”

Following the classic, W&M will return home to face another pair of NCAA Tournament teams in Stony Brook (Aug. 30) and South Carolina (Sept. 2). The Gamecocks are ranked 29th in the CSN preseason poll, while the Seawolves won the America East Championship in 2005. The game between Stony Brook and W&M will be the first between the two schools. It also will be the first time South Carolina has ventured to play in Williamsburg.

W&M has two other marquee non-conference affairs against preseason No. 18 (CSN) UNC-Greensboro and preseason No. 25 (CSN) Virginia Tech. Both teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and the Hokies were the No. 12 national seed. The Tribe will battle the Spartans as part of the Old Dominion Stihl Soccer Classic on Sept. 15. The College will also face Loyola (Md.) on Sept. 17 at the classic. The Tribe will face a tough test traveling to Blacksburg, Va., to face Virginia Tech on Sept. 5.

The only other non-conference affair for W&M will be at home against VMI on Sept. 8. The Tribe is 14-1 all-time against the Keydets, including a perfect 7-0 in Williamsburg.

The 12-team Colonial Athletic Association will once again be a gauntlet of tough contests. Three teams from the CAA (Old Dominion, Hofstra and James Madison) earned bids to the NCAA Tournament in 2005.

The Tribe will have home contests against Drexel (Sept. 22), Delaware (Sept. 24), Towson (Oct. 13), George Mason (Oct. 15) and Georgia State (Oct. 20). The road conference slate is a bit tougher in that it includes all three NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago and a four-game road trip from Sept. 29 through Oct. 8.

During the four-game road swing, the Tribe will face Hofstra (Sept. 29), Northeastern (Oct. 1), James Madison (Oct. 6) and VCU (Oct. 8). Both Hofstra and James Madison were among 15 teams in the also receiving votes category in the CSN preseason top 30.

The conference road schedule concludes against UNC Wilmington (Oct. 22) and Old Dominion (Oct. 26). The Monarchs are ranked No. 20 in the preseason CSN rankings and were the No. 10 national seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

The CAA Tournament will be Oct. 31, Nov. 4 and Nov. 5. The top six teams make the tournament field. The quarterfinals between the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds and the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds will be on Oct. 31 at the highest seed. The final four teams will come together for the semifinals and finals at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.