DYER BROOK, Maine — The Southern Aroostook boys soccer team saw a successful season come abruptly to an end in the semifinals a year ago, which is something new Warriors coach David Day is hoping to avoid this year.
Day takes over a program that finished 12-2 in the regular season a year ago, earning the No. 5 seed in Eastern Class D. The Warriors fell to No. 1 Bangor Christian 3-0 in the semifinals, ending their season with a solid 14-3 record.
Cliff Urquhart previously coached the team, but was named the junior varsity girls soccer coach at Houlton High School earlier this summer. Day has three years of previous coaching experience, but this will be his first time coaching soccer at SACS. He also coached the varsity baseball team at the school and experienced great success with the team, guiding the Warriors to an Eastern Class D runners-up title this past June.
Five players, including three All-Aroostook players, are gone from last year’s soccer squad, so the Warriors will rely on new faces to achieve success.
This year’s roster has only two seniors, Josh Perrin (forward) and Dragon Gross-Thibodeau (fullback) to provide key veteran leadership. A strong junior class will also be called upon to log significant playing time. The juniors include Nolan Altvater (goalie), Tyler Batchelder (halfback), Tanor Batchelder (fullback), Hunter Lawlor (fullback), Austin Bishop (fullback), Rob Lillis (halfback), Jackson Mathers (forward), Luis Morales (sweeper), Riley Robinson (fullback) and Lucas Violett (fullback). The underclassmen include sophomore Hunter Walker (halfback), and freshmen Steven Rackliff (halfback) and Jonathan Hardy (fullback).
“Josh Perrin is very quick and has four years of experience,” Day said. “He has tremendous field awareness and will be our playmaker.”
Tyler Batchelder is relentless on defense and controls the midfield when the opportunity arises, the coach added. Morales will play several positions this year but his main focus will be stopper on defense. “He is our quickest player and knows how to direct traffic on defense,” the coach said.
Taking over the goaltending duties is Nolan Altvater, replacing Austin White who graduated. “Although Nolan is going to play goalie for the first time in his career, I have all the confidence in the world he will do a great job,” Day said. “He is very athletic and will adapt quickly.”
Mathers is another player coach Day expects big things from this season. “Jackson will mainly play in the striker position,” he said. “He has great ball control and can create opportunities with his skill and finesse. I am still in the transitional phase of figuring out what our true strengths are.”
While on paper the team may appear to be stacked for another strong season, Day said he was cautiously optimistic.
“Obviously, we have some very good players, however making some changes in positions is going to be required, which is a task in its own if certain players are used to playing offense who will be moved to defense, and defense to offense,” he said. “If the kids can buy into that premise — play the best 11 not the 11 best — we will have more success. I feel we may get off to a slow start, but as the season progresses, and confidence increases, we will have more success.”
SACS opened its season last Friday, hosting Washburn.
