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Mustang soccer team to open season Monday against Owen
Smoky Mountain’s soccer team will get its season under way Monday with a 6 p.m. game at Owen.
The first home contest will be Aug. 27 against Murphy, also at 6 p.m.
“We’re working hard on our ability to possess the ball,” Coach Dolphus Brown said. “We’re trying to find some people to score for us. We’ve still got some areas we need to work on. We want to get better at finishing.”
The Mustangs played in a scrimmage Saturday at Azalea Park in Asheville. They defeated Kings Mountain 2-0 and battled East Lincoln to a scoreless tie.
Richard Ramirez and Dylan Haynes scored the goals. Assists were provided by David Cheatham and Rodrigo Nogal.
“We were extremely pleased,” Brown said of the scrimmage. “One of the big differences between us and Kings Mountain was conditioning. I was pleasantly surprised with how far along we are with the defense.”
Brown said he has been pleased with the play of senior Justin Garlock, an all-conference player two years ago who transferred out of the area last season but has returned.
Probable starters listed by Brown include:
Goalkeeper, senior Eli Corwin; sweeper, senior Coleman Morgan; fullbacks, junior Jeremy Cauley and senior Ian Youmans; stopper, Garlock or junior Cort Smith; midfielders, seniors Rob Tyson and Martin Davis, juniors Smith, Matt Dougherty or Keller Berry; forwards, senior Cheatham and sophomore Ramirez.
Also battling for playing time are juniors Haynes, Adam Ray, and Wyatt Danner and sophomore Nogal.
“We feel really good about where we are,” Brown said. “As a team, this could be one of the best groups we’ve ever had.”
Chris Tyson is the assistant coach. John Douthitt is coaching the JVs and is assisted by Kirk Childress.
The schedule is as follows:
Aug. 20 – at Owen; 22 – at North Buncombe; 23 – at Murphy; 27 – Murphy; 28 – Blue Ridge; 29 – Enka.
Sept. 4 – Highlands; 6 – Asheville; 10 – Tallulah Falls (Ga.); 12 – at Tuscola; 19 – Franklin; 24 – at Brevard; 26 – at East Henderson.
Oct. 1 – North Henderson; 3 – at West Henderson; 8 – Pisgah; 10 – Brevard; 15 – East Henderson; 17 – at North Henderson; 22 – West Henderson; 24 – at Pisgah.
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