Redmond High head soccer coach Patrick Scheibe has been around the sport of soccer long enough to know that injuries are just an unfortunate part of playing a fast-paced contact sport.
The players on this year’s team saw it last season when standout midfielder Chase Halen tore a ligament in his ankle and was out for nearly the entire season — a big blow to the program.
The injury bug has come back to haunt the Mustangs already this season, causing Scheibe to juggle his lineup. Keeping his remaining players off of the disabled list is a top priority for Scheibe.
“We’ve had so many injuries, for us it’s getting the same kids on the field playing the same positions,” said Scheibe on his team’s key for success this year. “We’ve been missing four or five starters every game so far, so we have four or five other guys that are playing out of position. That’s been a challenge. We’re looking forward to the time where we can say ‘Here is our top 11 and the positions they need to be.’”
The Mustangs return a pair of co-captains, Matt Nease and Bryan Williams, who will anchor the midfield, although Nease is recovering from a leg injury and has played sparingly so far this season.
On the defensive side, Kris Daniels and a pair of extremely talented goalkeepers in Tyler Albin, last year’s backup, and Mauricio Romano look to keep opposing goals to a minimum. With goal-scoring machine Victor Martinez up front, the Mustangs look to hang with anyone in the league.
“Both senior goalkeepers are fighting to earn their time on the field, and they both look really good,” Scheibe noted. “It’s great when you’re a coach and you have to make a tough choice between two guys that are both working hard.”
If there’s one thing firmly in the Mustangs’ court, it’s that the program is as deep as it’s ever been, as 85 players turned out this year even with the increased $275 pay-to-play fee.
“We’ve always had a really strong sophomore team, and always been proud of the fact that we can bring kids up,” Schiebe said. “We have six, seven, maybe eight guys that played on the sophomore team at one point that are now on varsity. It’s a unique and fun part of our program.”
The Mustangs had a tremendous 11-2-1 season in 4A Kingco play in 2008, after which the team graduated nearly its entire starting lineup, leading to a rebuilding effort in 2009. But if you ask this year’s captains, they’ll tell you that the 2010 Mustangs are the real deal.
“Last year we had more height and power, but this year we’re more skill-based,” explained Nease.
Added Williams, “Our freshmen this year are very strong, our one sophomore (Tyler Bennett) is really good, and all the juniors and seniors, that’s most of us, are all coming along and doing well.”
With preseason rankings looking fairly even across the league and the variable nature of a soccer game, where even one defensive lapse can spark an upset, what will the Mustangs’ success hinge on this season besides staying healthy?
“Teamwork and passing,” said Williams.
Added Nease, “I think it’s going to come down to who wants it more. All the teams are almost even, so it’s going to be really close and unpredictable.”
REDMOND SOCCER AT A GLANCE
• Head coach: Patrick Scheibe, 16th season
• Last year: 3-4-3, 7th place 4A Kingco, 5-4-6 overall
• 2010 turnout: 85
KEY RETURNERS
• Sr. Bryan Williams, MF: Co-captain and returning starter; great athlete and natural leader.
• Sr. Matt Nease, MF/D: Co-captain and returning starter; has played sparingly this year due to injury. Will really help bolster defensive effort when back to 100 percent.
• Sr. Kris Daniels, D: Excellent athlete also played varsity tennis last fall. Looks to bolster the Mustangs’ backfield with Nease out.
• Sr. Victor Martinez, F: Always a threat to score, he led the JV team in 2008 with eight goals and six assists.
TOP NEWCOMERS
• Srs. Tyler Albin, Mauricio Romano, GK: Pair of talented, agile keepers will look to put a lock on the net this season.
• Jrs. Preston Horner, MF/D, Alex Hall, MF: Pair played as freshmen but took last year off due to ineligibility from being on a FC Academy team. New rule was enacted that allows these athletes to compete at high school level as well.
BIG MATCH
• Tuesday, April 6, 7:30 p.m. at Eastlake: The Wolves always field a strong soccer program and the Mustangs will have to be firing on all cylinders to stay competitive on their opponents’ home field in this rivalry matchup.
DID YOU KNOW?
Scheibe, the longtime coach of both the girls’ and boys’ soccer teams at Redmond, has been involved in coaching since he was 12 years old at the club, high school, college and ODP (Olympic Development Program) levels.
COACH’S QUOTE
“They’re still trying to find themselves. Last year we knew they were very limited as far as skill, but this year’s team has a lot of skill, and they’re learning what they need to do. It’s been a little bit of a challenge for us, but as a coach, it’s fun to have new challenges.” — Coach Scheibe
