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Central: The leader of the pack

2009 HERNANDO COUNTY BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Central High Head Coach hank Deslaurier has guided the Bears to back-to-back county championships.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: November 12, 2009

Over a 10-year span, Hernando County's top two boys' soccer programs have been F.W. Springstead and Central High.
The Bears have captured nearly 60 percent of their matches during that span while the Eagles have won nearly 62 percent of their matches.
That pattern appears to hold serve for the 2009-10 campaign.
Here's a look at each program.

Bears 101

The Bears celebrate their 20th anniversary of soccer this winter.
The program's sixth mentor, Hank Deslaurier, enters his fourth season at the controls.
The Bears have to be penciled in as the favorite to repeat as Hernando County champions and appear to have the inside track to the tiny, four-team Class 5A, District 7 Tournament beginning Jan. 25 in Marion County.
Deslaurier's club has captured undisputed back-to-back county titles the past two seasons. During that stretch they've owned Springstead winning four times in four attempts.
Ocala-Forest, who'll host the 5A-7 Tourney, has dropped 2-of-3 meetings the past two seasons against Central.
Ocala-West Port is the wildcard. No county team has tangled with the Wolf Pack since 2004-05, when Hernando fell 8-1 and tied West Port in the rematch, 4-4.
Central finished 13-7-0 last winter and was eliminated in the first round of districts for a second straight year.
Four of the county's top four scorers were Bears including Omar Odulaja (1st), Davey Vitola (2nd), Bobby Bock (5th) and Brandon Waddy (7th).
Unfortunately, Bock graduated, Waddy relocated to Palmetto and Vitola is committed to an Olympic Developmental team. Vitola is healthy and is eligible to play for the Bears.
But Deslaurier said the Bears can not worry about Vitola's absence.
"Right now, we're not expecting him to play for us," declared Deslaurier, who is 48-30-5 lifetime at CHS. "He's healthy, he's enrolled at Central, and he's eligible to play for us; he if decides to come back."
As the season begins, Odulaja, a junior, who scored a county-high 21 goals last winter, is expected to shoulder the offensive burden alongside supreme playmaker Christian Velasquez (eight assists last winter).
According to Deslaurier, defensively the Bears "will be young in the back."
After goalkeeper Mike Ogren graduated, junior Anthony Kaspars and freshman Preston Merritt are penciled in to split time between the pipes.
Look for newcomers Brandon Miller and Kenny Griffith to fill in as defenders attempting to replace Curtis Weaver at sweeper.
So how will the Bears fare?
"On paper, this is our district (5A-7) to win," predicted Coach Deslaurier. "The big challenge for us the last few years is remaining healthy for the stretch run in January. Traditionally, that's what's killed us. For once, we'd like to be at full strength come districts.
"To me, I see the key to our team is staying injury-free and the development of our midfield."

Eagles 101

In the last decade, Springstead futbol has reached the regional playoffs seven times in eight years.
But the last two years, SHS has been shown the door during the first-round action in districts.
According to Springstead's 17th-year Head Coach Sal Calabrese, this year's team appears focused and goal oriented.
"The work ethic of this group is wonderful," explained Calabrese, who comes with 183 lifetime wins, "This team is probably the best I've ever had as far as fitness and desire. This group does not want to stop getting better."
The Eagles lost Stefan Philippeaux and Joe Truncale to graduation while Tyler Callahan transferred to Nature Coast.
But the cupboard is brimming with players.
Three of team's top scorers, Terry Wald, Matt Campbell, Josh Peirce, will be complimented by Andrew Brunner and Cody Emmerman.
And perhaps the county's best defender, senior and four-year starter Steve "Sully" Sullivan anchors the defense.
Additionally, the Eagles roster was bolstered by two move-ins.
The county's finest goalkeeper as a freshman and sophomore at NCT, Nick Allegra, relocated back into town this summer after moving to Georgia just before his junior campaign.
And senior midfielder Mario DelPozzo's move back to town helps stabilize the midfield.
"I have (personnel) options that we haven't had the last few years," grinned Coach Calabrese. "It's a nice problem. We continue to work on distributing the ball and possessing it. I don't want to rely on one guy, who can score 25 goals. Teams can mark that person too easily. I'd rather have several strikers."
Can Springstead return to the regional playoffs?
"I don't know anything about West Port or Forest. I don't care to know," said Calabrese. "We'll let the chips fall when we see them. Central's played us well the last couple of years. Typically, it boils down to who wants it more. This is a good crop of kids. They've got some goals and I like what I see."

Sharks 101

Nature Coast Technical is coming off a 5-15-0 campaign. The Sharks have reached regionals once in their first six years.
The program's fifth coach in seven years, Ian Wald, is a former Hernando Today Player of Year in football. Wald was also stout soccer player under Coach Calabrese.
Several Shark starters are back including Cameron Lachlan and Eric MacLean.
Wald has emphasized to his players "that they must do the little things correctly" in order to raise their collective game.
"I think we have talent," described Wald. "I feel comfortable with the talent level. But I don't feel we have the best attitudes. When I got here it seemed like they were OK with losing."
What about the top-heavy 4A-8?
"With River Ridge and Land O'Lakes joining Wiregrass and Sunlake, it makes for an ultra competitive district," said Wald. "For us to be included in the discussion (for district champs) a lot of people have to step up as leaders. They have the ability, but do they have the motivation and attitude to carry us?"

Leopards 101

Andrew Suarez is Hernando High's sixth coach in 10 years. Last winter, HHS finished 0-24-0. Suarez inherits a team that enters the 2009 campaign losers of 39 straight matches since defeating Zephyrhills on Nov. 26, 2007, 6-2.
Plus, HHS is minus its leading scorer of a year ago, Nick Champney.
Ready to take on the scoring burden is sophomore Andres Pinzon. Look for several newcomers, including Cody Singer, Cody Gillis and John Geiger, to take over at midfield.
Defensively, Jordin Williams and Matt Singer should help while HCA transfer Josh Fleischer is penciled in as sweeper.
Nick Noto, who broke his arm last winter, is back starting between the pipes. He's backed up by youngsters Parker Roach, Chris Thurman and John Young.
Suarez, a Hillsborough High alumnus, said changing the Leopard culture in the locker room starts with team chemistry.
"The better players carried the scoring burden on their shoulders," explained Suarez. "This year, it's all about ball movement. And I don't want to see guys hanging their heads. I want them, instead, to get involved."

Lions 101

Injuries decimated Hernando Christian Academy last winter as the Lions were barely able to field 11 healthy bodies. The Lions finished 5-9-4 overall and graduated the county's third-leading scorer, Jeff Basciano, with 16 goals.
The Lions' roster was not ready at press time because several players are still playing football.
HCA's fourth-year Head Coach Matt Carrao announced that it does have two foreign exchange students in the fold this year including Adrian Kussmaul from Germany and Kirk Muktana-Anant from Thailand.

Hernando County Boys Soccer Five-Year Snap Shot
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO
RK School W L T .PCT
1. Springstead 60 37 21 .619
2. Central 58 39 8 .598
3. HCA 35 42 15 .455
4. Hernando 16 79 6 .168
5. Nature Coast 16 80 6 .167

Hernando County Boys Soccer 10-Year Snap Shot
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO
RK School W L T .PCT
1. Springstead 120 59 31 .670
2. Central 116 79 18 .595
3. ^HCA 35 42 15 .455
4. Hernando 32 153 10 .173
5. *Nature Coast 16 99 6 .139
* Denotes six-year total.
^ Denotes five-year total.

AT A GLANCE
Central Bears
Head Coach - Hank Deslaurier (5th Year: 48-30-5 lifetime)
District - 5A-7.
Returning starters - Five.
Key returnees - Omar Odulaja (11th), Christian Velasquez (11th), T.J. Armstrong (12th).
Key losses - Bobby Bock, Nick Hernandez, Jacob Stone, Brandon Waddy, Curtis Weaver, Davey Vitola.
New Additions - Goalkeepers Anthony Kaspars (11th) and Preston Merritt (9th); defenders Brandon Miller (9th) and Kenny Griffith (10th).
Outlook - The two-time defending county champs even without county's No. 2 scorer last winter, Davey Vitola (Olympic Development Team), appear to be the team to beat in 5A-7. During last two winters, they've solved Ocala-Forest 2-of-3 and Springstead four times in four meetings.

Hernando Leopards
Head Coach - Andrew Suarez (1st Year)
District - 4A-8.
Returning starters - Andres Pinzon (10th), Kevin Herbert (12th), and goalkeeper Matt Noto (11th).
Key losses - Leading scorer from last winter Nick Champney and Travis Knox.
New Additions - Sophomore midfielders Cody Singer, Cody Gillis and John Geiger and sweeper Josh Fleischer (10th).
Outlook - The nine-team Class 4A, District 8 is top-heavy with traditional playoff heavyweights River Ridge and Land O'Lakes. Leopards' first order of business to snap two-year, 39-match losing skein. Outscored 155-22 last winter including 13 shutouts.

Nature Coast Technical Sharks
Head Coach - Ian Wald (1st Year)
District - 4A-8.
Returning starters - Lachlan Cameron (12th), Danny Colon (12th), David MacLean (12th), Eric MacLean (10th) and Zach Weeks (12th).
Key losses - Matt Curtis, Britton Cox, J.J. Lain.
New Additions - Tyler Callaghan (transferred from Springstead).
Outlook - "We have the ability to be good team," explained Coach Wald. "But do we have the motivation and attitude that will carry us?"

Springstead Eagles
Head Coach - Sal Calabrese (17th Year: 183-122-38 lifetime)
District - 5A-7.
Returning starters - Steve Sullivan (12th), Terry Wald (12th), Matt Campbell (10th), Cody Emmerman, Nathan Leathers (11th), Andrew Brunner (10th).
Key losses - Stefan Philippeaux, Joe Truncale, Anthony Vanstyn, Aron Walasek.
New Additions - Goalkeeper Nick Allegra (12th), Mario DelPozzo (12th), Michell Hobbs (12th), Justin Ladouceur (10th), Chris Sarabalis (12th), John Morrison (11th) and Richard Togh (9th).
Outlook - "I'm not happy with the new district," said Coach Calabrese. "It was very hard to get matches. So now we're on the road a lot. As far as the Ocala schools, we don't know anything about them. We'll see how the chips fall against them and Central. We'll see who wants it more."

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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