Boys soccer teams look to bounce back after less-than-stellar seasons

Columbus East’s Eric Stiles prepares to cross the ball during a soccer match against Jennings County at the Richard Wigh Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Last year was a year to forget for most of the area’s boys soccer teams.

Not only did none of the seven schools post a winning record, none reached the sectional finals. With that in mind, they’re eager to start fresh with a clean slate in 2019.

Here is a look at those teams:

Columbus East

The Olympians did break even last year, going 8-8-1. Six full-time and four part-time starters return from that squad.

Senior midfielder Eric Stiles was honorable mention All-State last season. Senior midfielder Jorge Nieto is in the top 20 in goals and assists in school history. Senior Zach Roberts, who enters his fourth year as starting goalkeeper, is second all-time in shutouts with 20.

“They’ve been tremendous leaders throughout the offseason, and I’m looking for that to continue throughout the season,” East coach Brad Barber said. “With a core group of seniors that are leading the program this year, we return a midfield that has the ability to create scoring opportunities. I’m a firm believer if you win the midfield, you have a strong chance of winning the match, and with Eric and Jorge, I feel we have one of the best midfields in the state.”

Senior Leyton Erfmeier also returns in the midfield, and seniors Gabe Rivera and Thomas Soedel return on defense. Junior Logan Cline and sophomore Chris Quisenberry were part-time starters at forward, and sophomore defender Corbin Hatcher and sophomore midfielder Branson Young started at times last season.

Also battling for starting spots are junior defenders Ben Romig and Adam Wear, sophomore midfielder Kevin Sanchez, sophomore defender Weston Romine, junior forward Alejandro Saldivar and sophomore forward Luke Corya. Freshmen Noah Sandlin, Cam Trueblood and Jake Hofelich also could see action.

“Six or seven players have solidified starting positions, but the competition 7 through 20 is deeper than it’s ever been before,” Barber said. “This created competition during our summer training sessions.”

Columbus North

The Bull Dogs will look to improve after going 7-11-1 against a formidable schedule.

“This summer provided us the opportunity to play in a couple of preseason tournaments and to see several players in action against some very good competition,” North coach Tom Pollert said.

Senior midfielder Graham Keele was last year’s The Republic Boys Soccer Player of the Year after leading the Bull Dogs with 15 goals. Senior Sotaro Kaneda also returns in the midfield, while senior Ben Malone is back at forward and senior Andrew Goble and junior Sam Larken return on defense.

Junior Colvin Iorio, who split time in goal last season, takes over the starting job. Looking to fill the other starting spots are junior Ricardo Navarro and sophomore Nathan White on defense and junior Jesus Hernandez and sophomores Will Holliday and Jesse Williams in the midfield.

Junior Jared Marquez could see action in goal. Also battling for playing time are juniors Mauricio Brito and Bryce Lynn; sophomores Luke Schneider and Caleb Boyce and freshmen Nathan Imlay, Anthony Johnson and Mateo Mendez.

“We have great leadership and team chemistry, and we are going to work hard and compete for 80 minutes in our matches,” Pollert said.

Hauser

The Jets have a new coach in Fermin Recarte. Recarte, a native of Uruguay, played for a second division team in that country before moving to the United States, where he has coached high school teams in North Carolina and Utah, was assistant coach for a club team at Utah State that finished third in country and coached middle school team in Frankfort to undefeated season.

“Hauser’s soccer team is young with very good players,” Recarte said. “Our strengths are dedication and focus. We will play soccer, keeping in mind that academics are important. Hauser will respect every opponent but will play without fear. This team displays versatility and teamwork.”

Recarte will try to help the Jets improve on a 4-6-1 season. He has a trio of exchange students in midfielder Caetano Cunha Fracasso (Brazil) and forwards Diego Vazquez Miranda (Spain) and Franco Ávila Laviado (Mexico).

Juniors Cameron Scott, Emily Harker and Justice Gilliand will join Fracasso in the midfield. Juniors Ben Essex, Thomas Essex and Adonah Riddle and sophomore Daniel Taylor will be the defenders. Caleb Walker returns in goal.

“We have a really solid defense, and outstanding midfield and a good offense,” Recarte said. “What I’ve seen in practice, I really like it. It’s going to be an outstanding season.”

Columbus Christian

Tim Tallent takes over the Crusader program following a 2-8-1 season. This is Tallent’s first coaching job.

Columbus Christian has experience at the outside midfield spots with seniors C.J. Reed, who also will play some forward, and Josh Jones, who moves from a defender spot. Seniors Evan Graham and Sam Flint return at forward, and senior Ethan Edwards moves from goalkeeper to defense.

“We have a really strong core of seniors that we’re relying on a lot,” Tallent said. “They’ve done a really great job this summer leading the team.”

Junior Garrett Spurgeon will play forward and midfield. Sophomore Gavin Lustig steps in as a defender, sophomore Nathan DeFriece will play forward and midfield and freshman Noah Edwards at forward and defender.

Freshman Avery Hammond takes over in goal. The final starting spot is up for grabs.

“We’re going to have a very active rotation,” Tallent said. “Everybody on this team is going to play a ton of soccer this year.”

Jennings County

The Panthers also have a new coach in Wayne Zamora. Zamora was director of coaching for Seymour Soccer Association for seven years and assistant at Seymour High School for five years, was head coach at Jennings for the 2005 season, was assistant at Franklin College for five years and more recently has coached in the Indiana Olympic Development Program.

Zamora takes over a team that went 2-15-1 last season.

“Going from Indiana ODP level players to some players who are just beginner level, I’ve had to change my approach a little bit,” Zamora said. “But the guys are working very hard, and that’s all I can ask for now. The program is probably at it’s lowest point there. The team has been struggling for years, and the boys are eager to get out of that slump. We’ve been working defensively pretty hard, trying to not give up goals and really working on our attack to put some in the net.”

The Panthers have nine seniors, four of which will play in the midfield. Mason Pittman and Dustin Andrew will play center midfield, with Ethan Stidham and Zane Law outside.

Seniors Keagan Craig and Cameron Woodward will be at outside back, and sophomores Ethan Brown and Logan McIntosh are at center back. Freshman Nathan Davis and senior Michael Pemberton are at forward, and sophomore Braden Foster takes over in goal.

Brown County

The Eagles return seven starters from a team that went 4-12.

“Our training is going really well,” Brown County coach Skip Simons said. “They’re a very talented group of young men. We have to realize it can’t be one vs. 11. It has to be a full unit.”

Senior Caleb Yeager and sophomore Sam Normile are back as center midfielders. Also back are senior sweeper Logan Imming, sophomore stopper Wyatt Fox, junior defensive midfielder Richard Stanley and junior outside back Cameron Payne. Junior Ty Wesley moves from defender to goalkeeper.

Looking to fill starting spots are junior Zach Spires at outside back, freshman Caelan Stanley and sophomore River Lacy-Connell at outside midfield and sophomore Collin Trapp at forward. Also pushing for playing time will be junior Logan Huddleston at sweeper or outside midfield, senior Will Normile at center midfield, freshman Ethan Scott in goal and freshman Aidan Norcutt on defense.

“There’s a fairly young group coming back,” Simons said. “We did a lot of offseason leagues against the teams in Bloomington, and I think that helped us out.”

Trinity Lutheran

The Cougars will look to improve on a 5-9 season.

Senior Sawyer Doggett starts in the center midfield, but will float everywhere depending on the flow of the game. Senior Caleb Baumgartel is back after being injured last year and will be joined at forward by sophomore Micah Baumgartel.

Also returning are junior outside midfielder Kash Siefker, sophomore Brayden Stockleman in goal and sophomore Conner Sims, who moves from outside midfield to center back. Junior stopper Zephyr Wilson played only in postseason after having to sit out the regular season following a transfer.

Trinity has added senior Josh Rowe, who played football, and sophomore Jacob Sabotin, who ran cross-country last season, at outside back. Also vying for starting spots are senior Nathan Thompson, who moves from defender to forward; junior defenders Caleb Probst, Preston Conover and Noah Mensendiek; junior midfielder Ethan Meyer and freshman defenders Prader Keil, Adam Everroad and Andrew Bell.

“We’re looking really good,” Trinity coach Joe Doggett said. “Trinity ended up not having a football team, and we picked up a couple of kids from there. We have a couple of good, sized kids that could be pretty good. We’ve had some good practices, and I’m happy so far.”

The 2019 boys soccer schedules for Bartholomew County schools:

Columbus East

Monday;at Floyd Central;7:30 p.m.

Saturday;at Center Grove Trojan Classic;11 a.m.

Aug. 29;Columbus North;7 p.m.

Aug. 31;at Bloomington North;12:30 p.m.

Sept. 4;East Central;7 p.m.

Sept. 5;at Seymour; 7 p.m.

Sept. 10;Bedford North Lawrence;7 p.m.

Sept. 14;at Fishers;12:30 p.m.

Sept. 19;at Jennings County;7 p.m.

Sept. 21;Castle;3 p.m.

Sept. 26;Madison;7 p.m.

Sept. 28;at New Albany;1:30 p.m.

Sept. 30;at Bloomington South;7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5;Jeffersonville;12:30 p.m.

Columbus North

Thursday;Bloomington North;7:30 p.m.

Aug. 27;Cathedral;7:30 p.m.

Aug. 29;at Columbus East;7 p.m.

Sept. 3;at Center Grove;7 p.m.

Sept. 5;at Franklin Central;7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7;Terre Haute South;2:30 p.m.

Sept. 10;Perry Meridian;7 p.m.

Sept. 13;at Carmel;7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16;at East Central;7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21;at Terre Haute North;4:30 p.m.

Sept. 24;Bloomington South;7:30 p.m.

Sept. 26;at Westfield;7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28;at Zionsville Classic;10 a.m.

Oct. 1;Seymour;7:30 p.m.

Columbus Christian

Tuesday;at Hauser;5 p.m.

Sarturday;Evansville Christian;1 p.m.

Aug. 27;Crisspointe Christian;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 5;Colonial Christian;5 p.m.

Sept. 6;at Martinsville Tabernacle Christian;5 p.m.

Sept. 14;at Kings Academy;12:30 p.m.

Sept. 17;at Bloomington Lighthouse;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 19;at Christel House Academy;6 p.m.

Sept. 30;Eminence;5 p.m.

Oct. 3-5;ICSAA Regional;TBA

Hauser

Tuesday;Columbus Christian, 5 p.m.

Saturday;at Southwestern (Shelby);10 a.m.

Aug. 29;Knightstown;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 5;at Trinity Lutheran;5 p.m.

Sept. 10;at Morristown;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 12;Southwestern (Shelby);5 p.m.

Sept. 17;Greensburg;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 21;Anderson;2 p.m.

Sept. 24;Morristown;5:30 p.m.

Sept. 26;at Indianapolis Lutheran;5 p.m.

Sept. 28;at Trinity Lutheran Cougar Cup;9 a.m.

Sept. 30;Franklin County;5:30 p.m.

Oct. 2;Henryville;5:30 p.m.