Wednesday, August 26, 2009 10:24 AM CDT
Experience, expectations increase for Green Wave soccer
BY BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
MATTOON -- When Mattoon had just two seniors last year, you had a good idea what that was to mean.
“We were juniors and we played like juniors,” boys’ soccer coach Ryan Ghere said. “We were inconsistent.”
You also know what that could mean for the season to follow.
“I think they expect more out of themselves this year,” Ghere said.
This is not just a case of resting on the assumption that things would get better with a team of 10 seniors including eight returning starters from a 7-14-1 season.
Many of the Green Wave players participated in Mattoon’s summer recreation league, competed in a league with Effingham, Teutopolis and Altamont and went through Ghere’s own team camp. Some also attended Eastern Illinois’ camp.
“A lot of kids played a lot of soccer this summer,” Ghere said.
In addition, Terry McCrate played in Charleston’s club team in preparation for this season which is to start at Charleston’s Red & Gold Invitational with the Green Wave facing Olney at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Hi-Cone fields.
An honorable-mention All-Big 12 performance last year as Mattoon’s sweeper, McCrate again figures to anchor a defense that most years is considered the strength of Ghere teams.
Fellow seniors Lucas Voudrie and Tyler Beason are other returning starters on the defense while sophomore Paul Calio, who moved up from junior varsity to see some varsity action at the end of his freshman year, had a good showing this summer and now moves into a starting spot on defense.
They are backed by senior goalkeeper Quinton Cunningham, who was having a good junior year until missing the last eight games with a broken wrist.
“I think we will be just as good defensively if not better but I think we’ll be a lot better offensively,” Ghere said.
One of the main reasons for that optimism is the return of last year’s scoring leader Cooper Grady, who had 13 goals and was named All-Big 12 Conference.
Another all-conference forward Nick Maninfior, who scored 12 goals, graduated.
Moving into a starting role up front is sophomore Matt Janosik.
“Matt stepped up and had a great summer,” Ghere said.
Nathin Arthur, who contributed seven goals last year as a junior, is part of a veteran midfield that includes Doug Henness, Clayton Walker and Hunter Davis.
“Every one of them played a lot last year,” Ghere said. “The big thing about those four is all four can play about anywhere on the field. Probably the biggest thing is just how interchangeable our guys are.”
Josh Keist, Dylan St. John Tyler Garretson, Cody Brush and Luke Eads figure to be the main reserves for this team looking for a winning record as well as championships in its pool of this weekend’s tournament at Charleston, the Wave’s own October round robin and an IHSA Class 2A regional.
Plus, Ghere is looking for a top half finish in the strong Big 12 after finishing 2-6-1 in league play last year.
A clearer outlook may come this weekend when Mattoon faces Olney, Effingham at Decatur MacArthur at the Charleston tourney.
“The good thing is we get to play a lot of games in a short amount of time,” Ghere said. “We know we can beat our JV. We need to see if we can beat anybody’s varsity now.”
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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