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Finish it: JPII soccer seeking state title that eluded them in 2011-12
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
In 2011-12, under first-year head coach Jamie DeWitt, the John Paul II boys soccer program had arguably their best season ever by amassing a 14-2-4 record an advancing to the TAPPS Division I Championship before losing to Fort Worth Nolan.
This season, the Cardinals want even more.
"I have high expectations for our team once again this year," DeWitt said. "I feel we have a lot of great players and we just need to mesh as a group and the sky is the limit. I'm hoping they will continue to work hard and take it personal that they couldn't finish last year and win a state title.
The finish will come in February, but the start looks pretty good as John Paul is 6-1.
"We graduated 11 seniors and nine starters," DeWitt said, "so we are filling in with new bodies, but we have a lot of great players stepping up."
The two returning starters are senior forward Robbie Guzman and junior defender Tyge Sheehan. Those two anchor a starting lineup that is currently comprised of three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and a freshman.
"But we actually have two freshmen that will be big contributors this year," DeWitt said. "Roberto Olivera and Ryan Mackey are both doing well with the varsity group."
Olivera showed off his skills early in the season as he tickled the twine four times in a 13-0 victory over Covenant. The Cardinals followed up with 4-2 and 3-2 wins over St. Mark's before traveling to the Houston Christian SoccerFest last weekend. Playing without four starters, John Paul placed third after victories over The Village School (1-0), Austin Hyde Park (2-1) and a loss to Houston Christian (1-0).
Next up is the start of district.
And a familiar foe awaits as John Paul will travel to Nolan at 7 p.m. Tuesday to play the team it lost to in last year's state finals, 3-1.
"That game will be a true test for our boys; we have talked and been waiting for it all summer and all year," DeWitt said. "The kids know the game will be very high intensity and very aggressive but, as I told them, this is what it is all about. I talk to them about taking it personal every time they step on the field and I feel there is not another team that they want to beat more than Nolan. We need to just come out and make our presence known early and pressure the ball at all times.
"If we do this, stick to our game of possession and stay calm, I think we will be OK."
The winner of Tuesday's match will determine the early favorite in TAPPS 1-5A, but as the reigning state runner-up, the Cardinals know they are already a club other teams are preparing for.
"Since we were a top team in the state last year and made it to the state finals, we have a target on our backs," DeWitt said. "Other teams want to come to our place and beat us. We have to be prepared and mentally ready every game in order to get back to the state finals."
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