Friday, August 20, 1999
BOYS SOCCER: KENTUCKY PREVIEW
Highlands gets 'kiss of death'
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer contributor
The last thing Highlands boys soccer coach Bill Robinson wants to hear is that his is the top team in Northern Kentucky.
Robinson's colleagues apparently couldn't help themselves — they voted the Bluebirds the best in The Enquirer's preseason poll. Robinson had little response.
“I'd say in the past, it's always the kiss of death,” Robinson said. “I'd like the No. 1 ranking in November rather than in August.”
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BOYS POLL
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1. Highlands (8) ....... 105
2. St. Henry (3) ....... 96
3. Covington Catholic ....... 83
4. Boone County ....... 68
5. Scott ....... 60
6. Conner ....... 49
7. Campbell County ....... 36
8. Ryle ....... 35
9. Newport Central Catholic ....... 29
10. Simon Kenton ....... 11
Others: Holy Cross, Bishop Brossart 8; Holmes 4; Calvary Christian 3; Dixie Heights 2; Pendleton County 1.
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Highlands probably has the most experience of any team this season — nine starters return from a 13-8-1 team that won the 27th District and finished second to state runner-up Covington Catholic in the 14th Region finals.
Robinson's seniors and juniors were 27-0 in 1996-97 on the junior varsity team, but he said there are improvements that need to be made.
“We're looking real good,” he said. “We've got to work on movement off the ball. We've got to work on our communication skills on the field.”
Senior Rob Hassman and junior center midfielder Mylor Rider should provide the bulk of the offense — they scored 11 and seven goals respectively last year. Senior goalie Eric Fessler takes care of the defense: He compiled a 0.33 goals-against average with seven shutouts.
St. Henry is next in the poll, followed by CovCath, Boone County and Scott.
That's little consolation to St. Henry. The Crusaders' 20-4 record a year ago was the best in school history and included the 13th Region title, but the year ended with a 3-2 shootout loss to CovCath in the Sub-Section 7 finals.
“We really had the team to do it,” coach Tim Dressman said. “CovCath hung in there and won it.”
This should console Dressman: eight starters are back. Junior striker Eric Kleiman had 12 goals last year, and senior goalie Chris Billiter had 13 shutouts and a 0.75 goals-against average.
Senior striker Andy Powers, however, has the biggest responsibility — he has to replace leading scorer Tony Becker.
Dressman said Powers is not as fast as Becker, but his work ethic should serve him in other ways.
“His pressure from his work ethic on defense is going to create a lot of turnovers up front for us,” Dressman said.
At CovCath, replacing seven starters and rebuilding the defense are coach John Horton's biggest worries. All-state defenders Nick Hoppenjans and Greg Schwab and goalie Kurt Kreyling have graduated, and junior midfielder Nate Hornsby is out for the year with a knee injury.
Horton said it may take nearly the entire regular season to find a defense that works.
“We'll be scratching our heads a lot,” he said.
CovCath is strongest at midfield with juniors Mike Weckenbrock and Brad White. Horton said White — who made an Olympic Development regional team two years ago — may have the best skills on the team.
“He has very quick feet,” Horton said. “He's a little kid, but he has hit the weight room.”
Boone County likely will rely on senior Brent Sullivan, who scored 16 goals and added 14 assists last year.
“Brent is an exceptional player who leads by example,” coach Shawn Neace said. “He has great field vision and one-vs.-one abilities that make him a very dangerous midfielder.”
Scott returns seven starters back from last year's 12-7 team. Senior striker Matt Kubiak (12 goals in '98) and senior midfielder Brian Chilelli will have to compensate for the loss of leading scorer Chris Barwell.
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