Boys soccer: questions, even for usual favorites
Even nationally ranked Academy must prove self as it replaces 12 seniors
You have a defending state champion that is re- … tooling.
Another is ranked eighth in the country.
Yet another is starting fresh with a new coach.
Albuquerque High, Albuquerque Academy and Bosque School each start the 2016 boys high school soccer season with various degrees and uncertainty and confidence.
For the bulk of the metro area, the season begins next week, and in fact many of them are opening Monday or Tuesday at the Albuquerque Metro Championships.
AHS and Academy will be among the metro field of 16.
The Bulldogs last November won their first-ever blue trophy, toppling district rival Atrisco Heritage in an exciting championship game.
But veteran coach Lucien Starzynski watched most of his primary playmakers walk off with diplomas.
“We have a program that is full of good players,” he said. “I will never use the word ‘rebuilding.’ ”
Right on AHS’ heels is Atrisco Heritage, a team many coaches believe might actually be the favorite in District 4.
“Atrisco Heritage looked fantastic this summer,” Volcano Vista coach Billy Thiebaut said.
Sophomore forward Javier Rubio needs to step in and replace some of the goal scoring that graduated for the Jags.
“We have very high hopes,” Atrisco coach Micah Newman said. “We’re motivated. The returning players got a
taste of what it is (to succeed).”
Both La Cueva and Sandia like their chances out of District 2. The Bears were the No. 1 seed in the 6A playoffs a season ago before Atrisco upset them in the semifinals.
La Cueva has six starters returning, led by senior defender Jake Sanchez. Sanchez — plus brothers Alex and Charles Touche of Academy and Los Alamos goalkeeper Seth Hailey — are on a 2016 western region watch list compiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. (One of them could be selected to play in the national All-American Game in December.)
With Sanchez, the Bears are strong in the back and are also experienced in the midfield.
“Right now, I think we’re in the top four (in the state) — at least,” Bears coach Easy Jimenez said.
Elite back-liner Clint Smith is one of nine returning starters at Sandia.
“It is wide open in 6A,” Matadors coach Brian Weems said. “Anyone can take it.”
District 1, as usual, will likely be the strongest 6A district. Always-dangerous Rio Rancho was a semifinalist last year, losing to AHS in that round.
Although Cameron Clarke remains in a hospital in Denver, the former Cibola coach is in contact every other day with his younger brother Michael, who is taking over the Cougars for 2016.
“It’s a unique season,” Michael said. “For me, the guys and the whole program in general.”
Cleveland is a team several coaches believe is primed for big things after an impressive summer.
“We’ve got some pretty high expectations,” Cleveland coach Shaun Gill said.
Volcano Vista missed the playoffs last year, but the Hawks have a veteran team.
“We’ve got the ability to do some exciting things as in past years,” Thiebaut said.
Class 5A
USA Today has the Chargers rated eighth in the country, as Academy comes off a 21-1-1 championship season. After losing 12 seniors, however, Academy figures to face some challenges — both internal and from 5A rivals.
“Now it’s just getting all the other players to wrap their heads around what it means to play soccer at the Academy,” head coach Laney Kolek said.
“Not a doubt in my mind, this will be a group that puts in a strong performance,” she added.
St. Pius has most of its starters returning, as it seeks to challenge the Chargers.
“Anytime a season starts, St. Pius has a state championship on their mind, and that’s what we absolutely have on our mind,” Sartans coach A.J. Herrera said.
Class 1A-4A
With veteran coach Klaus Weber now retired, Jason Cloyes — who played at Sandia Prep for Tommy Smith, still the Sundevils coach — takes over Bosque School, which beat Taos in the final.
The Bobcats were hit by graduation probably harder than any boys program in the metro area. Cloyes has the delicate task of balancing his philosophies with what was already working.
“Our classification will be wide open,” Smith said. “This year, we’re all kind of in the same boat. We’ve all got five pretty good players and then some question marks.”