Friday, August 18, 2000
N.Ky. boys soccer preview
CovCath, Highlands close at top
By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor
John Horton has enough experience being ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer's preseason coaches poll to decide it's not as bad as others make it out to be.
“It's always a blessing,” said the Covington Catholic coach upon hearing his team is again ranked first. “A lot of times, it's a death wish that other people put on you, but I don't think our kids need any more pats on the back right now. They need to go out and play and do some positive things.”
The Colonels almost were the ones handing out the pats instead of receiving them. They finished ahead of No. 2 Highlands by just one point.
St. Henry, which reached the state finals last fall, finished third in the voting.
Horton believes the high regard accorded the Colonels is based on the number of experienced players returning from a team that won the 14th Region 14.
“We'll start nine seniors and two juniors, and we have six starters back,” Horton said.
One of those juniors is defender Landon Hanser, who was the only sophomore to earn all-state honors last season. However, senior midfielder Brad White might be CovCath's best player.
“He may have the best skill of any CovCath player ever,” Horton said.
CovCath, which got off to a 2-4 start last season, might be slow getting out of the blocks this season due to a rash of groin pulls that had sidelined six players, Horton said. That may be one reason he voted Highlands No. 1. Another is he's already seen plenty of the Bluebirds.
“They beat us twice in a camp (this summer) — not once, but twice,” Horton said. “They've got a lot of guys coming back.”
Leading the returning Bluebirds, who won the District 27 championship but lost 1-0 to CovCath in the regional finals, are three seniors: Nathan Klette, Mylor Rider and Craig Stephens.
Third-ranked St. Henry lost seven starters from last year's surprise team.Among the four returning Crusader starters is senior forward Eric Kleiman, regarded as the area's top returning player.
“He is the most dominant and complete player in the state,” said his coach, Tim Dressman.
The Crusaders also have senior David Vissman and junior Joe Schneider returning to anchor midfield and senior fullback Derek Schmitz to lead the defense.
No. 4 Boone County will rely on 11 seniors, especially goalkeeper David Jones, who had seven shutouts last season. But like St. Henry, the Rebels have only four returning starters.
Other top returning players include seventh-ranked NewCath's Andy Murphy, a junior goalie who also had seven shutouts last year, and senior sweeper Art Kremer. While the Thoroughbreds will be defense-oriented, No.8 Ryle will depend on an offense led by senior midfielder Andrew Lageman, who scored 12 goals last season.
No. 10 Campbell County's Justin Augsback scored 15 goals last fall and went on to pick up international experience playing in Manchester, England, with Cincinnati United Premier over the winter.
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