2007 PAC Men's Soccer Preview



BETHANY BISON (14-4-3 Overall, 5-0-1 PAC in 2006)

After going 14-4-3 and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament last season, the Bison men's soccer team has even higher hopes coming entering the 2007 season.

 

The Bison will have three All-PAC selections returning from last season, including two strong defenders in senior John Zervos, (left) a three-time all-conference selection, and senior Telly Mantziouras, who was Honorable Mention all-league a year ago. These two were instrumental in Bethany not allowing a goal in PAC play for the first time in school history.

 

Other returning defenders include senior Coulter Lewis, who played in six matches last season, senior Gary Valusek and sophomore Brian DiCola.

 

Zervos and Mantziouras will lead a defensive unit in front of a new keeper in '07. Two-time First Team All-PAC honoree Kosta Floros graduated, but junior Chad Perry will get first chance to fill that spot. Perry has started three matches during his first two years and has two wins, including a shutout over Waynesburg last season.

 

Bethany's strength looks to be in the midfield, where four letterwinners return. Senior leadership will come from Aston Duporte, who recorded one goal and three assists while playing in all 21 games. Honorable Mention All-PAC pick Mike Aivalis, who missed the final five games due to injury, is back after notching a team-leading five assists. Sophomore Jason Straw also returns after collecting two game-winning goals and five points as a freshman.

 

Rounding out the returnees and looking to step into a bigger role this year is sophomore Trevis Villafana, who appeared in 12 matches as a freshman.

 

Up front, the Bison will be looking to senior Stave Haylett and junior Andrew McPherson to provide the main scoring punch. McPherson was BC's third-leading scorer in 2006 with six goals, including two game-winners, and 13 points. Haylett played in 13 matches and contributed one goal and one assist on the campaign.

 

Last year's success helped Bethany turn in a huge year in recruiting, as 2006 PAC Coach of the Year Kosmas Mouratidis will get the chance to mesh 20 freshmen with his returning players to try to take the Bison back to the top of the PAC and earn a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.

 

 


GENEVA GOLDEN TORNADOES (3-12-3 Overall in 2006)
What a difference a year can make. Geneva head coach Todd Beall had all of two days to prepare for his first pre-season camp prior to the 2006 season having been hired in early August. Beall has actually had time to plan for the 2007 season and is way ahead of the game compared to his preparation a year ago.

“I really feel like we are developing a program now,” said Beall. “Last year, it felt like we were just throwing kids out on the field without much preparation and now we actually have a plan of attack.”


Not only will Beall and his new coaching staff have a strategy, but they will be looking to implement that strategy with one of the finest recruiting classes Geneva’s program has seen in years.

“There is no question that our team is going to be young and we will have to endure some growing pains, but I can honestly say it will be hard to ever duplicate the recruiting class of 2007. We brought in 22 freshmen and have significantly improved our level of play.”


The Golden Tornadoes are not without significant holes to fill left by graduation. In fact, A.J. Tardio, Will Godfrey and H.P. McCracken all received All-Conference recognition. In fact, McCracken was named an NCCAA All-American and now he turns his attention to coaching his younger brothers as H.P. has moved to the sidelines as an assistant under Beall.


Sam McCracken begins his third tour of duty as a goalkeeper for Geneva. McCracken, along with freshman Thomas Langewill be competing for the goalkeeping duties in 2007. McCracken started every game in 2006 and posted a goals against average under two.


With just two seniors on the 2007 roster, Ryan Henretty and John Hunt, the Golden Tornadoes will need contributions from all of those fresh faces. “We are fortunate that some of our guys got a lot of experience last year,” said Beall. “Hopefully that playing time will pay off this year, because we are definitely looking for some leadership from our older guys.”


Some of those older guys that Beall is counting on include Mark Zurbrick (right) in the midfield, along with Steve Gauss, Coert Voorhees and Jared Williams. In addition to the seniors, Jonah Creasy and Adam Lawyer will also be looked upon for production in 2007.


If you want to see Todd Beall’s eyes light up just mention his freshmen class. He anticipates many of his newcomers to be challenging for starting positions come early fall. Included in that group of talent are Chris Morschl and Mike Bair in the back. In the midfield, Jake McCracken, Kenton Burkhart, Gabe Kleinert and Matt Weaver will compete for playing time. The new forwards include Bruce Fox, Russ Picard and Scott Swartley. “We have some very talented young guys and many of them will be asked to contribute immediately. We feel like we are building something special and our freshmen class will go a long way in helping us turn the corner.”


Geneva will be competing against some new opponents as a member of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, but the shift to Division III is another reason for excitement within Geneva’s program. “We competed well last year, but we feel like we can really take another big step in the right direction in 2007.”


Although they have a young roster and a second year coach, Geneva’s men’s soccer program looks to be strong and may be a force to reckon with for many years to come.




GROVE CITY WOLVERINES (11-7-2 Overall, 4-2 PAC in 2006)

There are two construction projects related to the men’s soccer program at Grove City College as the 2007 season approaches. One is a major renovation. The other is more along the lines of a remodeling project.

Fortunately for the Wolverines, it is their home field -- College Field -- that is undergoing the major renovations. While College Field will now feature a new press box and scoreboard in 2007, the team that calls the facility home will also have a different look this fall.

Grove City must replace five starters from last year’s 11-win team that advanced to the ECAC Southern Championship Tournament semifinals.

Among the graduated are the program’s all-time leading scorer (Bob McNees), two four-year starters at defender (Brendan McCommas and Stuart McCommas), a pair of veteran midfielders (Jonathan Breese and Jonathan Mahtani) and the College’s 2007 Senior Man of the Year, Ian Lamborn.

However, the Wolverines are still well-stocked as they prepare to challenge for the Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship and a berth in the postseason.

Second-year head coach Mike Dreves welcomes back 10 lettermen in 2007, including six full-time starters.

Three of those starters helped form the core of one of the region’s top defenses. Senior stopper Tommy Bresson enters his fourth year as a starter while senior goalkeeper Michael Manahan is a two-year starter. Junior sweeper Jack Adams is a two-year letterwinner who started 19 of 20 matches last year.

In his three years as a starter, Bresson has helped Grove City post 30 shutouts and an aggregate 0.89 goals-against average. He earned Second Team All-PAC honors in 2006.

Manahan is a two-time Second Team All-PAC selection in goal for Grove City. He led the conference in save percentage in both 2005 and 2006.

Adams also landed on the conference’s Second Team following the 2006 season.

Grove City also welcomes back senior defender Dustin Heath, who earned his first letter in 2006. Heath made five starts at outside back, helping the Wolverines to a 4-1 record in those five matches.

Senior midfielders Chad Ashby and Barry Snyder (left) return after strong junior seasons. Ashby led the team with five assists from his wing position while Snyder started all 20 matches.

Junior Matt Sol made 13 starts during the 2006 season, including all three postseason matches.

Junior forward Tyler Ferrier appeared in all 20 matches as a reserve last season and provided instant offense for the Wolverines. Ferrier finished second on the team in goals (4), assists (3) and total points (11). He will again be counted on for offensive production this season.

Senior Eli Lamborn has made nine career starts and is a three-year letterman. He will contend for a full-time starting spot this season.

Junior defender Bob Terhune missed much of 2006 due to an injury. He played in 12 matches at stopper as a freshman and will be an integral part of the Grove City defense again in 2007.

Several other veterans are also expected to challenge for playing time this fall. Junior forward Andrew Yackel will challenge for a spot up front while junior Ben Kristobak is in the mix at defender.

A number of sophomores are back after seeing spot duty as freshmen. Defenders Scott Degelman, Sean Osborne and Mike Soriano return, as do midfielders Ryan Lesser and Joel Metz. Lesser had two assists in 2006 while Metz scored twice in limited action.

Sophomore Tim Lansing is Manahan’s backup in goal. Lansing did not allow a goal in his two appearances last year.

Grove City will open the 2007 season August 31 against visiting Penn State Altoona. Presidents’ Athletic Conference play begins Sept. 29 at Bethany.

The non-conference schedule features a trip to Grantham, Pa. for the Messiah College Classic Sept. 7-8. The Wolverines will face Goucher and national power Messiah during the two-day event.

Grove City will also play Baldwin-Wallace, Carnegie Mellon and Lake Erie in preparation for the conference schedule.

 


SAINT VINCENT BEARCATS (8-8-2 Overall in 2006)
With a healthy mix of veteran leadership and youthful energy, Saint Vincent soccer coach Keith Harmon is excited for his team’s prospects for the 2007 season.

 

Thirteen players return after a 2006 campaign that saw the Bearcats finish an even 8-8-2, with six of the losses coming by a one goal margin, and two of them in overtime.

 

Harmon, in his tenth year at the helm, believes that his team has the right mix to turn those close losses into wins. 

 

“With how I saw them play in the spring, and how they played together last year, you can see there is good team chemistry and the players gel very well,” he said. 


The area hardest hit by graduation after last season was defense, as three four-year starters are gone, including PAC Coaches’ Honors recipients Bradd Picone and Jarrod Weaver, as well as Matt Hanley, who was twice named All-American Mideast Conference in the NAIA.  Harmon, however, is comfortable that he has the personnel to fill these holes.

 

Sophomore Matt Fecik, who also earned PAC Coaches’ Honors last year, is the lone returning starter on defense from last season, and will be joined in the back by juniors Andy Bianco and Ibra Fancher and senior Phil Anselmino.  Fancher and Bianco both saw considerable playing time a season ago, starting a combined 13 games. Anselmino missed all of 2006, but is ready to return and play a significant role for the Bearcats in 2007.

 

“With the defense,” Harmon said, “we are very fortunate that a lot of the guys we have now have gotten a lot of playing time in the past.  It’s not like this level of play is totally new to them.”

Harmon also expects a pair of freshmen, Daniel Swartz and Kevin Hunter, to push hard for playing time on defense.

 

On paper, the midfield position looks to be the strength of the Bearcats, bolstered by a trio of seniors in Jason Zielinski (right), Mark Mastriano, and Sean Molyneaux.

Zielinski was another PAC Coaches Honors recipient last year, starting all 18 games while scoring four goals and adding a team-leading seven assists. Mastriano has started every game over the past two seasons, scoring twice with five assists last year.  The two will share co-captain duties for the 2007 Bearcats.

Molyneaux played in all 18 games last year, starting eight, while scoring five goals. 

“He’s just a tough player,” Harmon said.  “He just goes and goes and doesn’t stop.”

 

Sophomores John Woodruff and Jim Vargo will also vie for time at midfield.  The 6’5” Woodruff made 10 appearances last year. Vargo, who is also a star on the SVC track team, hopes to bounce back from a severe ankle injury that limited him during his freshman campaign.

 

While there are no senior forwards returning, Harmon still feels quite confident in the trio that are coming back at the position.

 

Ben Fecik, a fourth PAC Coaches’ Honors recipient and twin brother of defender Matt, burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2006, leading the Bearcats with seven goals while adding three assists.  Another sophomore, speedster Luis Rodriguez, was hampered by a nagging leg injury last year, but still managed to make 12 appearances and score three goals. Junior David Lauteri also battled the injury-bug last season, scoring an impressive five goals in just 13 games to give him a total of 12 in his two-year career.

With Rodriguez and Lauteri finally healthy, Harmon expects his team to surpass its scoring output of 33 goals from a season ago.

“We may not have any seniors coming back at the position,” the coach said, “but we definitely have some guys who can put the ball in the net.”

 

Looking to keep the ball out of the net for the Bearcats, junior Brandon Bower is penciled in at the goalkeeper position, but will see tough competition from freshmen Jeff Feliciana and Phil Pasterick.

 

Bower was one of three keepers to see time in the pipes a year ago, but is the lone returnee, and played well when called upon, making four starts, allowing four goals, and posted a save percentage of .862.

“We’re looking for Bower to come into his own this year,” said Harmon.

 

In addition to his team’s experience, Harmon also believes that his team having a year of experience playing in the PAC under its belt is a positive.

 

“It was a big adjustment coming into the PAC after competing in the American Mideast Conference for so long,” he said.  “The schools in the conference now like to play an all-out pressing style from the word ‘go.’  Now that we are used to that a little bit, it will definitely help us.”

 

“I think we’re going to be competitive,” Harmon said.  “It will take focus and commitment, but we want to get to that next level, after being around .500 for so long.”

 

The Bearcats will also face a very tough non-conference schedule before taking the field at Westminster for its PAC opener on September 29th.  In the month of September, the Bearcats will play in tournaments at Penn State-Behrend and Elizabethtown, while also facing Division II Seton Hill and 2006 Division III national champion Messiah.



THIEL TOMCATS (1-14-1 Overall, 0-5 PAC in 2006)
The Thiel College men's soccer team looks to rebound from a disappointing 2006 season with the addition of head coach Andy Hoggarth, a talented group of incoming student-athletes and 13 players from last season's squad wanting to turn the Tomcat program around.


Hoggarth, a native of Stockton on Tees, England, comes to Thiel from Shenandoah University, where he spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the men's program. He was named the associate head coach prior to the 2006 season.

"I am very excited at the prospect of welcoming the returning players back and introducing a number of potentially talented freshmen," said Hoggarth. "Obviously with this being my first season at Thiel I am not entirely sure of the strengths and weaknesses but am looking forward to molding them into a team that can understand and implement the philosophies that I have about the game. From talking with Coach (Jeurell) Smith, I know that I have some interesting talent both incoming and returning and hope to hit the ground running quickly once pre season camp starts."

 
Thiel returns six starters and eight letter winners, led by senior midfielder Frank Ily. Ily has been a staple of the Tomcat program since arriving in 2004, started every game of his career (52-52). Junior back Nate Knox has started all 35 games of his career while fellow junior back Mike Ryan (left) has appeared in 33 career contests (30 starts).

The front of the Tomcat offense will be led by a pair of junior forwards in Elliot Wreh-Wilson and Dorran Coley. Wreh-Wilson has made 32 starts at the forward spot while Coley, who missed significant time last season due to injury, appears to be back in the form of his freshman season in which he tallied two goals and two assists.

Junior back Yuta Saito and junior midfielder Andrew Sadley each appeared in 16 games last season, making starts in 11. Junior midfielder Sean Kreefer and sophomore midfielder Dale Grimm also made appearances in 16 contests a year ago.

"This year I want to increase the number of people who come to watch soccer at Thiel and believe to do that we need to play an exciting and skillful game of soccer by getting the ball down on the field when we can, but also using all of our strengths when the situation arises," said Hoggarth. "I want to build the team into a recognized part of the campus and community and although this will not be done over night, I believe it is achievable."

Hoggarth expects a group of 10 incoming student-athletes to arrive on campus for camp.

"Although it is every coaches' and players' intention to win as many games as possible I believe there are more pieces to that jigsaw than just the 90 minutes on a Saturday," said Hoggarth. "I want to start some traditions at Thiel that the players will enjoy and become part of every year, essentially bringing us together as a stronger and more cohesive team. I am hoping that this program becomes a bigger part of the local soccer scene in Greenville and the surrounding areas and building a never-say-die attitude in both the classroom and on the field."

 
THOMAS MORE SAINTS (5-11-2 Overall, 1-4-1 PAC in 2006)

In his second season of his second stint with the Thomas More men’s soccer program, head coach Jeff Cummings could be looking for a little déjà vu.

 
The men’s program enjoyed the one of the best seasons ever in Cummings’ second season at the helm. To equal that accomplishment, the Saints will rely on a mix of old and new. Increased competition could be one of the motivating factors that helps push the Saints to their first Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament berth.


With 17 newcomers competition at practice and for playing time will be fierce. “The competition will make us more skillful,” said Cummings. “Our ability to hold the ball and make quality play has been raised. Everybody knows our roster is close to an appropriate size and the returners have been thrilled. They are looking forward to competition, and give us a chance to be competitive in the PAC.”


Junior Tyler Smith returns for his third season. He led the Saints with seven goals last season, including three game-winners and one multi-goal game.


“Tyler is a guy we can go to that can put the ball in the back of the net,” said Cummings. “He is going to provide leadership up top and to the team.”


Unlike last season when Smith was responsible for one-third of the team’s scoring output, Cummings hopes sophomore transfer Chris DeZarn and freshman Aaron Osborn to give Thomas More a variety options going to the goal. Juniors David Megel (right) returns as does Alex Weidner who displayed some scoring punch from the midfield, adding three goals – which was second on the team.

 

Two-year starter junior Ben Graham will face stiff competition from sophomore Matt Koopman, who joined the team midway through last season. Junior Nick Rosenbauer and freshman Evan Toebbe could also press for time between the pipes.

Seniors Nick Carpinello, Ben Mollozzi and Nate Thrift, along with junior Bryan Datillo will shore up the Saints’ back line. However, there are four freshman could push there way into the lineup.

The lose of enforcer Erik Kramer will be felt in the middle, but Weidner and senior Patrick Randall could help fill the void.

“Losing someone that big and athletic to command respect is a concern,” said Cummings. “We need to know are we tough enough in the middle of the field.”

Possible the most important aspect of this season is learning how to win. Thomas More hasn’t had a winning season since 2001, and only three since becoming an NCAA school in 1990.

“Guys have to step up, play harder, smarter and lead us,” said Cummings. “Learning how to win is something we need to accomplish. We will show up everyday and compete.”

 


WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (7-8-4 Overall, 3-1-2 PAC in 2006)

Following a frustrating 7-8-4 season, the W&J men’s soccer program looks to get back on track this fall under Ian McDonald, who is beginning his 17th year at the college. Two seasons ago, the Presidents advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in school history. 

 

The Presidents suffered four losses by one goal last season, including a 1-0 setback at Bethany in the PAC Tournament Semifinals. 

 

Six seniors will lead Washington & Jefferson into the 2007 season, including midfielder Marc Clayton and defenders Travis Brown (left) and Zach Williams. Clayton, a second-team All-PAC selection, has started 60 games over the past three seasons and dished out two assists last year.  Brown and Williams have solidified the Presidents’ defense which has finished in the top three in the league in each of their first three seasons. Brown is a two-time First Team All-PAC honoree and a 2005 All-Region pick. 

 

Senior forward Mitchell Riehle led a balanced team scoring list from a year ago (15 different players scored at least one goal) with four goals, while senior forward Greg Witham added two goals and two assists in a reserve role. Senior Brent Kennedy will also provide veteran leadership and solid play in the midfield for the 35-man roster. 

 

Junior midfielder Ryan McDonald was a Mid-Atlantic All-Region choice last year and has started all 40 games over the past two seasons, collecting four goals and five assists for 13 career points. 

 

Junior goalie Tyler Hodgins also returns for his third-straight year as the starter. Hodgins has amassed 151 saves over the two-year period and has logged over 97 percent of the team’s total minutes played. 

 

Junior Jeremy Delmaster (3g, 1a) and sophomore Dan Hart (3g, 2a) will be asked to increase their offensive production, while junior Sean Park hopes to rebound off an injury-plagued 2006 season in which he was limited to 11 games, but still managed to net a pair of goals.

 


WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS (7-12-1 Overall, 2-4 PAC in 2006)

The Waynesburg University men’s soccer program will feature several new names in 2007 with the graduation of three four-year starters, along with the departure of a pair of three-year starters. However, head coach Carl Dei Cas has assembled perhaps the largest team in terms of players in program history.

 

Despite the loss of Ross Philips to graduation, the Yellow Jackets return a strong group of defenders in seniors Matt Cross and Mike Taylor, along with junior Kyle Williams.

 

Waynesburg also returns goalkeeper Brad Davis to the defensive end. As a freshman last season, Davis posted a 2.43 goals against average and made 140 saves, the highest single-season total for a Yellow Jacket goalie since the 2003 season.

 

At the midfield positions, senior George Silvestros looks to take a leadership role as the only player returning to the position with significant game experience. Silvestros has started 35 games in his career, including 16 last year.

 

The Yellow Jackets biggest void to fill this season will be on the offensive side of the field, as they lost their top four scorers from last year’s squad. Senior forward J.C. Danhires (right) will be a key offensive player this year after registering 11 points last season. He tied for second on the team in 2006 with five assists.

 

With Waynesburg having 21 newcomers (18 freshmen) this season, depth will be a luxury for Dei Cas and will benefit the team in its attempt to find quality new starters.


 

 

WESTMINSTER TITANS (12-7-2 Overall, 4-2-0 PAC in 2006)

The bar is set high for the Westminster College men's soccer team in 2007, but according to 10th-year head coach Girish Thakar he is not expecting his defending conference champion team to repeat.

"It wouldn't be a disappointment (if we didn't repeat)," Thakar said of his Titans who upset top-seeded Bethany in 2006 to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship. "We are not the favorite, but we do have a legitimate chance to contend.

"The goal is to win as many PAC games as we can and get in the top two to get a first-round bye. After that, it's anyone's game in the conference tournament."

The Titans know that first-hand as they were the underdogs that ran the table in last year's tournament to win the title.

Westminster lost five starters and eight lettermen from the 2006 team that posted a 12-7-2 record (4-2 PAC), won the PAC and qualified for the ECAC Division III South Region Championships.

Returning are six starters and 12 lettermen, including the entire back line and the team's MVP from last year, senior forward Andrew Saporito (left). A second-team all-PAC selection in 2006, Saporito led the PAC with 11 assists, tied for the league lead with 35 points and ranked second with 12 goals.

The other returning starters are all defenders, including senior Jason Lundmark, juniors Chris Ellwanger, Steve Hogya and Justin Rivas, and sophomore Justin Flowers. Ellwanger was a first-team all-PAC selection while Flowers was voted Westminster's rookie of the year for all sports.

In addition to the returning starters, there are several key players returning. They include senior midfielder Garrett Horvath, who led the team in scoring during his freshman year in 2004, and sophomore forward Brice Lott, who was recognized as an honorable mention for the all-PAC team last year after scoring six goals (15 points).

Returning lettermen also include sophomore defender Steve Armhizer, senior midfielder J.R. Little, sophomore forward Jerrod Rebich, and sophomore defender Stephen Rossi.

The biggest void the Titans have to fill is at goalkeeper as three freshmen will vie for the starting job. Overall, Westminster has 12 freshmen players in training camp.

The depth of the team was vital to Westminster winning the PAC Championships in 2006 as several players contributed during the stretch run, including five bench players seeing action in the 4-3 win over Bethany in the PAC finals and four different players scoring goals.

 

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