By Chris Parker
Nine starters and 16 lettermen return for a Greenwood soccer program coming off an eight-win season.
Head coach Jan Stahle is looking for Collin Clark (junior defender), Braden Nicholson (junior defender), Chance Rose (junior forward) and Andrew Scott (junior midfielder) for leadership this season.
Clark may also move back to goalkeeper this year coming off a season where he scored three goals and had two assists.
Rose was the team’s leading scorer with 18 goals and six assists.
“Chance Rose has gotten faster and is making quicker decisions plus he has improved his non dominant right foot,” Stahle said.
Nicholson scored two goals and had two assists last season.
“Braden Nicholson is much stronger and has improved his touch and passing greatly,” Stahle said.
Scott was the team’s leader in assists with 12 while scoring 10 goals last season.
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“Andew Scott, one of our strongest players in 2022, has greatly improved his reading of the game and his non dominant left foot,” Stahle said. “He also releases the ball quicker and his passing has improved to top level.”
Taewoo Lee (junior) will join Rose and Scott up to at forward.
Sebastian Parada (junior) will be in the midfield with Scott and Nicholson.
Nicholson, Clark, Garrett Winslow (senior), Enzo Chriccio (junior) and Gareth Tsurbia (junior) will be in the mix at defender.
Either Clark or Winslow will convert to goalkeeper.
Stahle will look for Greenwood’s offense to be crisp and hold possession.
“Our passing and keeping possession of the ball (will be a strength),” Stahle said. “Our goal is one and two touch and move the ball quickly up the field. We do a lot of training of small-sided games with tight boundaries. We want the ball on the ground and keep it simple.”
Greenwood will host a jamboree on Aug. 18 before opening the regular season Aug. 25-26 at the Lebanon Tournament.
“We should have seven or eight starting juniors with a lot of experience, and I would be disappointed if we don’t have a good winning record,” Stahle said. “We play a very tough schedule that will only prepare us better for the districts.”
