Penn College Men Begin Defense of Soccer Championship Saturday
Friday, August 29, 2008
When the Pennsylvania College of Technology men's soccer team takes to the field in its opener Saturday, it will do so as the defending Penn State University Athletic Conference champion. The Wildcats also own a 16-match win streak.
"The players have taken the initiative that they are going to be the team to beat. I'm confident that the team will be successful," third-year coach Enrique Castillo said as his team prepared for its 1 p.m. opener at home against Penn State Beaver.
Probable starters for the Wildcats are Corey Myers (junior/Boiling Springs) in goal, Steven Bull (junior/Hampstead, Md.) and Stephen Lis (senior/Elliottsburg) in striker positions, Coleby Frye (junior/York) at stopper, Jevin Martin (sophomore/Northumberland), Sean Kowalik (junior/Seven Valleys), Neil Trainor (sophomore/Neptune, N.J.), Billy DeAngelo (freshman/Dallas) in the midfield and Seth Rearick (sophomore/Watsontown), Clayton Bretz (sophomore/New Bloomfield) and Brendan Muth (junior/Macungie) as defenders.
In addition to Myers, Castillo also plans to use Daniel Shaffer (sophomore/Shermansdale) and Aaron McFarland (freshman/Macungie) in goal at times.
Steven Bullock (sophomore/Manheim), a returning striker from last year's 16-1 team, is expected to see plenty of action, as are freshmen Patrick Kehoe (Oley), Nick Showan (Mill Hall) and Tyler Jones (South Abington).
"I like the new guys. I think they bring a lot to the table," the coach added.
"We have a lot of players who can create (offensive opportunities) on their own, but we have a team that is based on a two-touch system, which makes it easier to move the ball around. They can move the ball quicker instead of holding onto the ball and trying to create," Castillo said.
"I like the way we possessed the ball (during a recent scrimmage). The chemistry is a lot better. We've just got to get the freshmen who are coming in involved a lot more. I like the chemistry of the team and I like the potential. We just have to work some things out defensively," Castillo said.
"We're always looking to make a run at the championship. I like what I've seen (in practice and a scrimmage). We should be in good shape to make another run,"he added.
Should the Wildcats be successful in winning a conference title for a fifth consecutive season, they will qualify for national competition as this is the college's first year as a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
Castillo and his players would like nothing better.
(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site .)