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Men's Soccer
Looks for "Successful" Return in 2008
During
his first four years leading the Schreiner Men’s
Soccer program, head coach Paul Hayes saw the
Mountaineers climb through the ranks and become
one of the elite programs in the American
Southwest Conference. During that time, Hayes
earned back-to-back ASC Coach of the Year
awards, and the team racked up many notable team
and individual accomplishments. Two stand out –
both occurring in 2006. The first was a 1-1 tie
- late in the season - at then-#1 ranked
Trinity. The second was Schreiner earning the
opportunity to host the ASC Championship
Tournament based on the team’s second place
finish in the 15-team league.
2007 was thought to be a reloading (as opposed
to rebuilding) year as a solid nucleus of
seniors returned along with a promising group of
freshmen. For the first time in Hayes’ career,
Schreiner didn’t enjoy the success others had
expected.
Hayes expects 2008, his sixth season at
Schreiner - to be a more competitive year but
the Mountaineers will be even younger than
2007. This year’s team is composed of 3
seniors, 8 sophomores, and 12 freshmen.
Despite the disappointment last year, the team
was able to give many younger players the chance
to get a lot of game experience. There are
several returning sophomores that have the
chance to be impact players this fall.
Sophomore Stephen Gonzalez returns after having
a solid freshmen season as a central midfielder,
and could be a major factor in the Mountaineer
offense.
The 2008 squad will be led by three senior
captains, Brad Baker (defender from New
Braunfels), Nick Morrison (goalkeeper from
Bedford) Jeremy Reinhard (defender from San
Antonio). All three have been major
contributors for the Mountaineers over the past
three years, both on the pitch and in the
classroom. Morrison has twice been selected as
the ASC Defensive Player of the Year. He has
re-written the school’s career and single season
record book for goalkeepers. Baker and Reinhard
will anchor the defense, always a Schreiner
strength. They’ve enjoyed both highs and lows
during their three year careers and are
determined to finish their careers on another
high note. |