Sports Editor
CARIBOU — The Caribou boys soccer team achieved its goal of making the postseason last year, but an early first-round exit from the playoffs may have left a bitter taste for the Vikings. Last season, Caribou finished 7-6-2 on the season, which was good enough for the No. 12 seed in Eastern Class B. The Vikings journeyed to Erskine Academy of South China, where Caribou fell 3-2 in a preliminary-round playoff.
Hoping to go farther this year is a Caribou roster that is top-heavy with upperclassmen with eight seniors and eight juniors, along with one sophomore and one freshman. And it may just be the most talented roster that 10th-year coach Mark Shea has ever coached.
“We are very strong with our senior and junior classes, and it’s the first time in a long time that we have been this top-heavy,” Shea said. “We should be a pretty strong team and I’m pleased with the way the group has come together this preseason. I don’t think we have ever been as strong, talent-wise, as we are this year.”
The 2009 Viking squad includes seniors Jerry Ferszt (midfield), Cameron Anderson (forward), Jon Ouellette (defense), Ethan McDuffie (midfield), Jared Sleeper (defense), Evan Susee (defense), Dan St. Peter (defense), and Ted Walker (forward); juniors Garrett Jordan (goalie), Adam Chartier (forward), Nate Rossignol (forward), Roland Thibodeau (midfield), Ben Blackstone (defense), Matt Till (defense), Stephen St. Peter (midfield), and Brandon Holdsworth (defense); sophomore Chad Caverhill (forward); and freshman Dean Walker (midfield).
Captains for this year’s team are Anderson, Ouellette, McDuffie and Sleeper.
Replacing nine seniors will be the first order of business for coach Shea. One of the biggest challenges will be breaking in a new goalie following the departure of third-year varsity keeper Eric Brown to graduation.
The coach said Jordan will be tasked with filling those big shoes in the net and is coming off a strong junior varsity season, but how that success translates to the varsity level has yet to be seen.
“I’ve been very impressed with his work ethic and technique,” Shea said of Jordan.
Caribou returns its leading goal-scorer from last season with Anderson (16 goals) and he will be called upon to keep up his scoring ways if the Vikings are to have success this year.
Though only a sophomore, Caverhill also will play a large role for the Vikings, Shea said. He started every game as a freshman last year.
Presque Isle, the defending Eastern Maine Class B champions, will once again be one of the toughest foes for the Vikings. Coach Shea predicted that Madawaska could also be among the elite in Caribou’s division.
Due to changes in the Penobscot Valley Conference schedule, Caribou will see an unfamiliar opponent this year, with Old Town now on the schedule. Unlike previous years, the Vikings will face every PVC opponent at least once on the schedule.
Assisting Shea are David Wakana, Brad Holabird and Dan Williams. The manager is senior Megan Jandreau.
Caribou opens its season 7 p.m., Thursday, at Madawaska.
