FROSTBURG, Md. – The graduation of 13 seniors and the loss of 17 total players from one year to the next would normally signal a rebuilding year. However, that is not the case for 13th year head coach Keith Byrnes and he believes his 2014 Frostburg State men's soccer team will still be able to compete with anyone in the Capital Athletic Conference.
"Our goal is to finish in the top-six in the league and earn a spot in the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament," mentioned Byrnes, "I think qualifying for the playoffs should always be one of our goals."
That goal does come with some challenges for Byrnes as he welcomes back just four upperclassmen from the 2013 season.
"We have a long way to go with the lineup because of the number of young players we have on the team," added Byrnes. "As the year progresses, I feel we will be in a position to compete with anyone in the conference."
"Our goal is to finish in the top-six in the league and earn a spot in the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament," mentioned Byrnes, "I think qualifying for the playoffs should always be one of our goals."
That goal does come with some challenges for Byrnes as he welcomes back just four upperclassmen from the 2013 season.
"We have a long way to go with the lineup because of the number of young players we have on the team," added Byrnes. "As the year progresses, I feel we will be in a position to compete with anyone in the conference."
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| Senior Joe Clarke |
Unlike a year ago when the Bobcats featured 13 seniors, this year's roster boasts 16 freshmen and sophomores and a handful of juniors that are appearing on the roster for the first time.
"We are looking at this season as a fresh start because of the number of new players and it has allowed us to implement a new style of play," said Byrnes. "We will be more of a possession oriented team that will play to our strengths, which will be our technical ability and our combination play."
"Last year, we played a different style with our bigger and faster forwards," mentioned Byrnes. "Our returning players this season have done a nice job early on in promoting the new changes. They have taken the team on their shoulders and have helped the younger guys buy into our style of play."
Leading the charge for the Bobcats will be the return of seniors Joe Clarke, Bryan Lentine and Bryan Whitmore, along with junior Mitchell Muise.
"The four have really stepped up and become vocal leaders on the team," said Byrnes. "They have been very positive and provided a great base in which to build from."
Clarke made four starts and played in 16 games as a junior in the midfield. He is the team's returning scoring leader from a year ago after finding the net twice and handing out one assist. This fall, he will switch to the defense and will join Muise in providing a solid back line.
Muise returns as the Bobcats' top defender. He appeared in eight games last fall and helped the Frostburg defensive unit post a 1.34 goals against average with seven shutouts.
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| Junior Mitchell Muise |
Lentine, a midfielder, saw the most action of the group, appearing in all 20 games while making 10 starts. Lentine scored one goal and should take on a larger role this season.
Whitmore missed the 2013 season due to injury, but has returned to the lineup at full strength. As a junior in 2012, he started 16 games and finished fifth on the team in scoring behind three goals and one assist.
Sophomore Hassan Mostafa returns as the team's starting goalkeeper after appearing in 15 games as a freshman. He finished with eight wins and made 39 saves.
Sophomore Chris Herbert started 15 of 18 games in the midfield a year ago and should again earn a starting spot. The coaches like his energy in the midfield and he should improve on his numbers (3 goals) in his second year.
Other returning Bobcats are; goalkeeper Jackson Bicknell, forward Nabayee Tesfu, forward Derek Fuller, and defender Anthony Depaz. Red-shirt sophomore Jonathan Lippitt hopes to return to the line-up once cleared by Doctors. Lippitt started the first three games of the season and then after receiving a concussion missed the rest of the season and was awarded a medical hardship waiver.
Joining the Bobcats will be three transfers; Barak Shechter and Nelson Mwanza from Montgomery College Rockville and Connor Eberly from Potomac State College. Hedrik de Wit and Daniel Ramirez will join the squad after having a sold spring season as walk-ons to the program.
The freshman class will consist of 8 players including Brett Basham, Rodrigo Valenzuela, Austin Campbell, Hunter Strine, Owen Marx, Andrew Jenkins, Andrew Bergamaschi, and Jabiri Hawkins,
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