Friday, August 20, 1999
BOYS SOCCER: DIVISION II PREVIEW
Team to beat? It's Summit
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributor
Seven Hills and Summit Country Day waged a season-long battle last year in Division II boys soccer, and the skirmish will continue into 1999.
“We played Summit twice during the regular season and tied them both times,” Seven Hills coach Terry Nicholl said. “We beat them in the tournament and went on to the state semifinals.”
But based on the return of strikers Jack Cummings and Jamal Shtweiwi, Summit emerged on top in the Enquirer preseason coaches' poll, with Seven Hills No.2.
• 1. Summit Country Day: Although the Silver Knights have the fire power to light up the scoreboard, Charlie Cooke is a coach who builds the team around a strong defense.
“We should have a solid team with quite a few seniors and six or seven regulars back,” Cooke said. “Most of our defenders are back, as is goalie Mike Fessler, who did well.”
Ben Roy, David Dumbauld and Karl Penbaur will anchor the defense. Mike Dwyer, out most of the 1998 season with a broken, is back and ready to play midfield.
• 2. Seven Hills: One of the most disciplined and well-coached teams in Southwestern Ohio, the Stingers again seem to have no weaknesses.
“We'll have a stingy defense and a strong offense,” Nicholl said. “It should be interesting this season, but don't count out Cincinnati Country Day. They came on strong late in 1998.”
Grayson Sugarman (30 goals) will be the catalyst for an offense that also features Kevin Kummerle. Seniors Eric Crew (goalie) and Michael Harper (sweeper) anchor the defense.
• 3. Cincinnati Country Day: If the Indians played in any other league than the Miami Valley Conference with Seven Hills and Summit Country Day, they probably would be favored.
“We have everybody back but one player,” coach Greg Hirschauer said. “We're still young but a year older.”
Goalie Ashah Nelms (four shutouts) and Whit Hesser will anchor a solid defense. Mike Sulton, Eric Edwards, Austin Mitchell and Wes Hamilton are the offensive standouts.
“We'll take our lumps again as the young guys come into their own,” Hirschauer said.
“We'll show up and compete. Realistically, Seven Hills and Summit are better, but last year Seven Hills beat us 8-0 the first time and 1-0 the second time.”
• 4. Wyoming: Coming off a 10-4-2 record in 1998, the Cowboys are loaded with enough talent to challenge for the No.1 spot.
Alex Kessel and John Stollenmeyer, out last year with injuries, will fill the two positions created by graduation.
“It will come down to the desire of these kids to win,” second-year coach Paul Meyer said. “Their work ethic has been great, and I haven't had to motivate them. They willingly stay late after practice.”
Forward Kier Lehman, the second-leading scorer with 10 goals in 1998, along with midfielder Drew Kaszubski will trigger the offense.
• 5. Batavia: A new addition to the elite five, the Bulldogs are experienced and should be able to score plenty while limiting opponents' chances.
Goalies Keith Klump, along with defenders Matt Faris, Justin Lowe, John Helbling and Nathan Westheimer, will be tough to penetrate.
“We allowed less than one goal a game last year,” coach Bill Miller said. “We'll also be a good scoring team with Brian Hennessey (17 goals) and Josh Woods (19 goals).”
Midfielders Mike Wilhelm, Brad Mollman and Matt Entrup, along with Mike Doss, a transfer from Colerain, round out a starting lineup loaded with 10 veterans.
• 6. Indian Hill: With only three starters back, Braves coach Bill Mees was surprised by the top-10 ranking.
“We lost nine of our cracker-jack players from the team two years ago and nine others from last year's team,” Mees said. “Three starters are back, and the coaches certainly were voting on our past record.”
Goalie Graeme Daley and sweeper Brad Oswald are the best defenders.
• 7. Finneytown: First-year coach Fred Parillo inherited a team that lost seven to graduation but returns two outstanding players in defender Vagilis Kontopos and midfielder Mark Gardlik.
With four Cincinnati Hills League teams in the top 10, it may be a struggle for the talented but inexperienced Wildcats.
• 8. Madeira: Hopes were running high that this could be one of the best seasons ever at Madeira with coach Joe Unger fielding a veteran team.
But leading scorer Nolan Bowers is out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and five other starters are indefinitely sidelined with injuries.
This will put pressure on a Mustangs defense that will rely heavily on Tim Disbennett, Joe Garman, Cooper Rutledge, Bo Chhum and Phira Lorth.
“Our strengths are a great goalie and good returning defenders,” Unger said. “But we lack size, speed and maturity. Depth is also a weakness, and I'm not sure we'll be able to score.”
• 9. Reading: Although the Blue Devils lost seven to graduation, first-year coach Michael Smith returns nine letter-winners and a strong defense.
Reading will be exceptional at midfield with Nathan Minges, out last year with a knee injury, Eric Anderson, John Goodman, Luke Hazlett and Randy Strolle.
Inexperience at the goalie position may be tough to overcome.
• 10. Bethel-Tate: The surprise team of the 1998 season, the Tigers will field their strongest squad ever.
Coach Dave Elam lost only three players to graduation and returns eight starters, along with a group of talented juniors.
Goalie Mike Parlier will anchor a strong defense. Jason Emmitt and Clint Miller are keys at forward.
• 10. Mariemont: The Warriors came on strong late in 1998 with six victories in the last eight games, and coach Keith Koehne expects the momentum to continue into 1999.
Defense will be the Warriors' strength; goalie Ryan Sicurella and sweeper David Faulk are the mainstays.
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