Thursday, August 20, 2009

Warriors sound a battle cry!




Providence and Jeffersonville be warned: Christian Academy of Indiana boys' varsity soccer team intend to do more than make up the numbers at sectional this year.

As a new high school soccer season kicks into gear this week, the Warriors have sounded a battle cry to the two powerhouses ahead of what should be an interesting fall.

Coach Will Lorigan said he is intending to build upon last year's foundation of 9-3-3. One of those wins included a 4-3 triumph over Providence.

That victory raised expectations going into the sectional championship, coming as it did days before its post-season game against Jeffersonville.

However, CAI was downed by the Red Devils 2-1 after a below par performance. It was a valuable experience they can learn from, said coach Lorigan, who has five returning senior starters.

"We felt we had a decent shot of competing last year for a sectional title but the Jeff game was one of our worst of the year," he said. "Maybe it was stage fright, or maybe it was being overwhelmed playing on a big field in front of a big crowd. Anyway, I think the team has learnt from that experience."

Key to their challenge will be goalkeeper Drew Mattingly and striker Andrew Rosenberg.

Mattingly, who Lorigan believes is the best keeper in southern Indiana, has been a starter since freshman year, a captain for two years, and the team MVP three times.

He has recorded 16 career shut outs - seven of them registered last year. His 2008 performances earned him a place on the Indiana Soccer Coaches' Association's All-District 5 first team.

Andrew Rosenberg, meanwhile, racked up 24 goals last season, including a hat-trick in that win against Providence. He was ranked ninth in goals scored in Indiana last year, while also providing 10 assists.

"Andrew has great footwork, explosive speed and can put away shoots on goal with both feet," said CAI varsity coach Will Lorigan. "He has emerged over the last two years as a genuine goal scoring threat regardless of the opposition."

The team also a solid core of lower and upper classmen to add strength, experience and ability to the line up. This is highlighted by junior sweeper Ross Heinz and sophomore midfielder Chris Smith.

"Building on last season, they should provide valuable skill and leadership from their respective positions," said Lorigan.

CAI plays its first game of the new season away to South Ripley on Friday (5.30 p.m.), while its first home game is against Scottsburg on Saturday (10 a.m.). It is also scheduled to take part in the very competitve Hoosier Cup in Bloomington on September 4 & 5.

And if ever a confirmation of growing respect from its opposition was needed, CAI has now been added to Jeffersonville's regular season schedule for the first time (August 29), while Providence has moved them to earlier in the fall (September 14), from a slot traditionally a few days before the big show.

CAI, it seems, is no longer considered just a warm up act.


Photo above: Christian Academy of Indiana's Andrew Rosenberg is hoping to add to the 24 goals he scored last season

Jamborees kick off season in the sun

The soccer gods shone done favorably on the start of the high school fall season Saturday, when glorious weather was the order of the day at the Floyd Central and Providence jamborees.

Kick It was at Floyd Central, where the field has been shifted a few hundred yards during a revamp to make way for the football stadium.

The host's boys' and girls' varsity teams entertained visiting rivals New Albany and Jeffersonville.

The Highlander boys took on Jeffersonville in the first 20 minute matchup and came out on top by a 2-0 scoreline thanks to goals from Matt Kelecy and Jordan Adams.


However, the night belonged to New Albany and new coach Ben Vigar, who has moved up from the shadows of assistant after his father Dutch was appointed the school's athletic director.


The Bulldogs tied its first game 0-0, but beat Floyd Central 2-0 with goals from Steve Dobson and Cameron Jenkins.


In the girls' games, Floyd Central and New Albany just edged out Jeffersonville, both with 1-0 wins. On target for the Highlanders was Elizabeth Doody, while Kamaren Cole scrambled in a last minute winner against the Lady Red Devils.


In the much anticipated game against Floyd Central and New Albany, who played each other in last year's sectional final, the game finished scoreless.

Lady Pirates set to sail!

Charlestown's Lady Pirates' soccer team is ready to set sail for the first time and its maiden voyage will be a game against Switzerland County on August 22.

It was only a matter of time before Charlestown, which has up to now had a co-educational team under the guidance of coach Richard Stephens, would introduce a girls' squad. The majority of those turning out to play the game in recent years have been female.

In fact, five of the girls from last year's co-ed team are among the 19 strong squad available to newly appointed coach Marcy Satkoski.

It comprises a mix from all grades, with a strong young representation of nine sophomores and four freshman, with three juniors and three seniors adding some experience to the team.

"Everything is going great," coach Satkoski told The Evening News & Tribune. "The girls have fantastic attitudes and have been working very hard to prepare for the fall season. After completing our first week of practice, we are excited to get out there and play to see how we match up against other girls' teams."

Satkoski said they have some dynamic leaders emerging in the group, including co-captains Jordan Dent, Sophie Higazy and Emma Wesp.

Dent, a senior, said she is "very excited" to finally have a girls' team.

"We've wanted this for a long time," she said. "I'll be thrilled to see how this year goes."

Higazy, a junior, said the Pirates are a very strong unit.

"We're all in this together in this and very supportive of each other," she said. "Because we are close, I believe we'll be successful this year."

The third co-captain is sophomore Emma Wesp. She said she wants to see the team grow this year and continue to improve over the next few years.

This is Satkoski's first head coaching job. She was the assistant coach at New Albany for six years under Sara Dickman, and has also coached at SIU. She played at Hanover College, and was a member of Center Grove High School’s (Greenwood, Ind.) varsity team.

Her assistant coach is state trooper Katrina Smith, who was also an assistant at New Albany during Dickman's tenure.