Wake Forest Athletics
2002 Men's Soccer Outlook
8/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 7, 2002
Jay Vidovich and his staff believe they have all the ingredients in front of them for a successful season. Take eight returning starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team that was ranked as highly as seventh last season.
Those eight starters include the ACC's leading scorer in 2001, one of the nation's best goalkeepers and a midfielder with valuable international experience. Mix in one of the nation's best recruiting classes and excellent team chemistry and the Deacons believe they have reason to set their sights on the highest targets.
"Our goals are very ambitious. We want to win championships, both ACC and NCAA," Vidovich said. "We've got a bitter taste in our mouth from (the NCAA Tournament loss to American). We've defeated each of the last two NCAA Champions so we know we can play at that level. Accomplishing either one of those goals would take the program to the next stage."
Working to get rid of the bitter taste, the Deacons had a highly successful spring.
"It was one of the most enjoyable coaching experiences I've had in my career. We've developed a tight family. To have everyone working so hard toward the same goal, that is tremendously satisfying."
Wake Forest carries that momentum into the fall, into a season with great expectations. Vidovich says several factors will be important to meeting those expectations.
"The keys to our success this season are one, having the returning players set the tone; Two, getting our newcomers adjusted quickly; Three, mental toughness. We've got an incredibly demanding schedule that will test us every week. We need to not get too high and not get too low. There will be a new challenge waiting for us every week."
It's a challenge that the Demon Deacons eagerly accept.
"We're anxious to get going."
ATTACKING PLAYERS
Vidovich hesitates to label his players with the position of forward, preferring to call them, "attacking players." He says with so many options and so many new faces, individual roles have not been finalized.
"We're going to put our best 11 players on the field. If that means some players have to move into new roles, that's what we'll do," Vidovich said. "We are fortunate to have a number of players who are capable of attacking the goal and finishing their opportunities. We're not going to limit those opportunities to one, two or even three players."
With a stable full of capable goal scorers, this area could be the team's greatest strength. The most proven weapon is Jeremiah White, who led the ACC in scoring and became the first Deacon to earn All-America status as a sophomore. White buried 15 goals and seven assists last season for 37 points.
He and sophomore Scott Sealy form one of the best one-two offensive punches in the country. Sealy tallied nine goals last year, the second-highest total of any freshman in Wake Forest history. They are complimented by junior playmaker Vicente Bastidas. Perhaps more of a true midfielder, Bastidas is a key element in the attack. His ten assists in 2001 tied a single season school record.
That proven trio might get even better with the additions of a pair of highly-touted freshmen who will be expected to make an immediate impact. Justin Moose, from nearby Statesville, N.C., is rated by Soccer America as the nation's 7th-best freshman, is an exciting player with excellent ball skills. Michigan native Ryan Alexander, rated by Soccer America as the nation's 24th-best freshman, is a versatile player with a booming left foot.
Both will be expected to contribute right away, although Moose will have an advantage after graduating high school a semester early. He enrolled at Wake Forest in January and trained with the team during the spring.
"All five players are capable of changing a game. All five players are capable of scoring goals at any given moment," Vidovich said. "It gives us a lot of options, a lot of flexibility."
Behind those five are a talented group of players that include sophomores Stephen Keel and Tomy Szczypiorski and freshman Marcellus Tennyson. Keel, who scored the game-winning goal in double overtime at UNC Greensboro last year, and Szczypiorski, who played in 12 games as a freshman, will push for playing time. Tennyson also figures into the mix with his size, strength and athleticism.
MIDFIELDERS
When talking midfielders, Wake Forest's man in the middle is junior Brian Carroll. Carroll has spent each of his last two springs playing alongside some of the best players America has to offer with the U.S. Youth National Teams in Italy, France, Portugal and Trinidad. Carroll brings that experience to the Wake Forest midfield where he is one of college soccer's most underrated players.
Joining Carroll in the midfield, are a talented trio of sophomores of contrasting styles and stature -- James Riley, Ryan Caugherty, and Amir Lowery. Riley is a quick, smaller player with good composure. Caugherty is known for his tenacity and competitive nature. Lowery is a rugged player with great size and strength. They do possess some similar strengths, however.
"They are consummate midfielders. They disrupt and destroy the opponents' attack while initiating their own," Vidovich said.
Another player in the equation is senior Adam Hakes. After missing the past year and a half due to a series of knee surgeries, Hakes has overcome the odds and appears ready to go for his final season. When healthy, Hakes is a dangerous weapon in the penalty area at 6-foot-3. His presence should provide inspiration to his teammates and any contributions Hakes can make on the field would be an added bonus.
Freshman Grey Ballard may also figure into the rotation.
DEFENDERS
Entering the fall, the back line is the area with the most question marks. How those questions are answered will be a key element in Wake Forest's success in 2002.
The defenders are not a group without experience. Senior Bobby Gehring, who spent his first two years on the attack, found a new home last season as a flank defender. The team will need consistent performances every week from Gehring.
Junior Wiggy Saunders has been a part-time starter in his two years at Wake Forest and is a front-runner for a starting role as a junior.
In the middle, sophomore Kelvin Jones is one of the ACC's most athletic players and wins virtually every ball in the air. He missed the entire spring due to injury and suffered a foot injury late last season, never returning to full strength. Jones must remain healthy as a junior.
Freshman Michael Parkhurst could claim a starting role. A highly-regarded prep player from Rhode Island, Parkhurst chose Wake Forest over several powers in the Northeast, including Connecticut. Considered an intelligent player, Parkhurst may be asked to contribute right away.
Sophomores Wes Allen and Matt Koh will vie for playing time.
GOALKEEPERS
Junior William Hesmer has emerged as one of nation's top goalkeepers and continues to improve. Last season as sophomore, Hesmer was a second team All-ACC selection after posting a 0.91 goals against average, the third best mark in program history. He started every game last season and was a part of seven shutouts. In each of the last two ACC Tournaments, the Deacons have advanced on penalty kicks, a tribute to Hesmer's poise and ability. His big game experience will be vital as the Deacons face a very difficult schedule in 2002. The team's number two keeper is senior Brad McEachern, who combined with Hesmer for two shutouts in 2001. The coaching staff has been thrilled with McEachern's progress. "I'm fortunate to have two keepers that can play. Both are captain material," Vidovich said. "Will has the better game experience, obviously, and has proven to be our number one guy. But at the same time, Brad has made tremendous strides. His practice performances have been exceptional. He comes to practice every day and has a real professional approach." Sophomore Kenny Killfoil is the team's third goalkeeper. Last season, Killfoil did not see any game action but did impress with his work ethic and long-term potential.
SCHEDULE
There may not be a tougher schedule in the country. The Deacons will lineup against eight teams that participated in last year's NCAA Tournament. That list includes the national champions, a Final Four team, two teams that reached the quarterfinals and three teams that played their way into the second round. That list does not include Duke, Richmond and Old Dominion who are tournament regulars or NC State and Davidson, which have great soccer traditions.
"We'll find out about our team very quickly in the first weekend but it doesn't stop there," Vidovich said. "There are a lot of high quality opponents on our schedule but there is not a "big game" that our guys have circled on their calendar. We have defeated each of the last two national champions so we know one game doesn't make a season. We're just looking forward to playing."
Wake Forest opens its season at a four-team tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Deacons will face Midwest powers St. Louis and Akron. A game at Old Dominion precedes the home opener against Virginia on September 14, the first of many exciting games on the home schedule. Deacon fans are in for a treat as Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Clemson all visit Spry Stadium this fall. Wake Forest will travel to Richmond, St. John's and in-state rivals North Carolina, Duke and NC State.
