Blue Griffins to fly higher
Solid roster, chemistry reasons for optimism
When Hersch Wilson reflected on the success of Santa Fe Prep’s boys soccer program over the past seven years, he talked about it in such hushed tones that maybe he didn’t want to jinx it.
“I feel so blessed, so very blessed,” said a churchmouse quiet Wilson, the 13-year head coach at Prep. “And I don’t [want it to end]. I just don’t. I went to a retirement ceremony for a coach in Albuquerque, and he said, ‘All I can wish is that I could have those 30 years over again.’ That’s how I feel.”
Winning helps with that sentiment, but it’s more than just the wins that made an impression on Wilson.
Since 2010, the Blue Griffins have played in three state championship matches and won two of them, including last year’s 1-0 thriller over Albuquerque Bosque School. It’s a strong possibility the Blue Griffins will find themselves back at the Bernalillo Soccer Complex in early November defending their crown, thanks to the return of at least six starters. The number is at six as of Tuesday because returning senior midfielder Harrison Miller’s status is unknown.
Miller injured his right leg about two weeks ago and has spent the preseason watching from the sidelines as he awaits a second opinion on the initial diagnosis of a partially torn ACL. Regardless of his future, Miller believes this team is more than capable of withstanding his absence and play at a high level.
“We have a bunch of players who can fill multiple roles,” Miller said. “Trevor [Wilson, a midfielder] was tasked with taking over [2015 graduate] Adam [Weyhrauch’s] role a couple of years ago in the midfield. So now, he is ready to play in the midfield, but he can also play up top [at forward]. Just having guys who can play multiple roles is key.”
The Blue Griffins’ chemistry cannot be overlooked, either.
Most of the seniors have played together for the past 10 years, be it at the club or high school level. It was a quality that became Prep’s calling card in 2016. Even though 2017 graduate Patrick Boyd was the speedy threat up top that opponents tailored their game plans around, the Blue Griffins noted that he did not score at all during the state tournament. Prep won all three matches by 1-0 scores, capping its championship on Jared Cook’s only goal of the season against the Bobcats in the finals.
“I think people get the misconception that Prep is a superstar team,” senior striker Harrison Tranor said. “We’ve always just had 11 really solid players on the field and we’ve never had a star. We’re able to do so well because there is no one who is going to let you down and no one who is going to pick up all the slack.”
Prep’s strong veteran presence is the antithesis of the 2015 squad that tried to repeat as champion, when this senior class of 11 players was merely a group of talented, but inexperienced, sophomores. Wilson is far more enthusiastic about the Blue Griffins’ chances than he was two seasons ago, and much of that has to do with the overall depth of the team.
“We have at least 15 or 16 guys who can play, who could start playing varsity matches tomorrow,” Wilson said.
While the outlook this season is bright, the more distant future looks just as good. Prep’s junior varsity is loaded with another group of talented, if inexperienced freshmen, and participation in the program has increased so much that it has a middle-school program for the second straight season. It will mean a lot of bus trips out of Santa Fe because there are no middle school programs, but getting middle-schoolers playing time together was something unheard just four years ago.
“There are freshmen and eighth-graders on the field who are way better than when we were their age because of that,” senior midfielder Michael Allison said.
Wilson feels the past several seasons has changed the culture of the program, where the upperclassmen do their part to help coach up the younger players. That generated a more inclusive atmosphere, where a Blue Griffin earns his stripes on the soccer field and not on the basis of seniority.
“They pass on a culture,” Wilson said. “It used to be here a long time ago, that the seniors had priority, they would go first at the fast-food line. Now, that has shifted because of the players. They want to take care of our young guys.”
In turn, the culture also encourages Prep graduates to return to Brennand Field and help the current crop of Blue Griffins during the summer and even into the season. Wilson said last week’s alumni match had at least 10 graduates play against the varsity, with several of them having continued their careers in college. Their experience at a higher level trickles down to the high-school players, who then pass it on to the next generation.
“We’re going to be coming back next year,” Allison said. “It’s about the legacy you leave behind. It’s not just about this year or this season. I want the team to do well even after I’m gone and leave a good legacy behind.”
That’s the part that Wilson doesn’t want to jinx, because it has kept him coming back for more.