Smoky Mountain soccer practice will begin Monday at Cullowhee

Brown

Potential varsity and JV players will practice from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Cullowhee fields. "Wešre really trying to focus on raising our expectations," said Coach Dolphus Brown, who is beginning his 10th season with a 120-56-11 record.

The Mustangs were 18-4-2 a year ago and were tri-champions of the Western Athletic Conference. This season they will move into the Mountain Athletic Conference, which includes Asheville and Roberson, two of the top teams in the state.

"Asheville is the defending state champion and, according to USA Today, the seventh best team in the nation," Brown said. "Roberson is right there with them."

"We've got to choose to get after the deal," he said. "This is an opportunity to get better." SM will scrimmage West Henderson and Enka on Aug. 8 at Enka. The varsity and JV squads will scrimmage Reynolds and West Henderson on Aug. 11 at Clyde Elementary School. Times for the scrimmages have not been set.

The regular season will open at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, when Owen visits Carr Hooper Stadium/Babe Howell Field.

"Losing seven starters leaves some big shoes to fill," Brown said. "I think we have a strong group. The pieces are there to make us pretty competitive. The key in soccer is finding where the pieces go."

Heading the returnees is senior Cory Carpenter, who was all-conference last year. He has 25 career goals, the same number his brother, Eric, had entering his senior season a few years ago. Eric erupted for 37 goals as a senior and holds the school career record of 62.

"Cory is going to score goals," Brown said. "He's going to be our go-to guy."

The Mustangs will also be looking to senior Jose Vives, junior Eric McManus and sophomore Michael Tennant to provide scoring.

"We feel pretty good about our offense," the coach said.

Will Peoples is back for his senior year at goalie. Other key defenders include seniors Damon Houghton, Silas Webb and Matt Taylor and junior Stephen Brown.

"Our defense is something we're going to look long and hard at," Brown said.

He was generally pleased with the results of a recent scrimmage at Reynolds. SM lost 2-1 to R-S Central and 4-1 to the Reynolds alumni but defeated the Reynolds seniors 3-2. Carpenter scored in each game.

Bob Carpenter will again serve as an assistant. Bo Carpenter, a former Mustang player and recent Wake Forest graduate, will coach the JVs.

The schedule is as follows with * denoting a JV game will also be played that night:

August

13 - Owen
15 - at Brevard*
20 - at Madison
22 - at Asheville*
27 - at North Buncombe*
29 - East Henderson*

September

4 - Murphy
5 - at Tuscola*
10 - Erwin*
12 - at Swain
13 - at Pisgah*
17 - at Franklin*
19 - Roberson*
24 - at Enka*
26 - Asheville*

October

1 - North Buncombe*
3 - at East Henderson*
8 - Tuscola*
9 - Swain
10 - at Erwin*
15 - Madison
17 - Franklin*
22 - at Roberson*
24 - Enka*

Back to Sports: 07/26/01.