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Wolves chomping at bit for return to prominence
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@acnpapers.com
Consider the Plano West boys soccer team one-third mystery, one-third uncertainty and one-third intrigue.
They're all vital elements to a squad returning just one-quarter of its roster from last season, but one that will bring an entirely new batch of skills to the table -- some that haven't been at the Wolves' disposal in prior years.
"They've been working really hard and we have some pretty talented young kids," Dowell said. "We had a couple move-ins who will contribute, so I'm pretty excited about this season. I guess we'll be a little less experienced varsity-wise, but I think we should be a bit better attacking-wise."
"You've got to have those players," Dowell said. "Forwards aren't exactly something you teach; they've got to have those instincts and that knack. The past few years we've had one or two guys who were natural forwards and that isn't the case this year."
Senior Mauricio Aguilar and freshman Damon Foncham look to commandeer that spark up front.
Injecting new blood into the forward position, West's experience reigns supreme in the midfield despite the loss of Brock Dudley to academy commitments, with junior John Rind and senior Michael Farin back in the fold, while senior Gustavo Mendoza is fresh off a strong junior varsity campaign.
Things are more uncertain on defense, especially with Mitch Lagro going academy.
"Defense is going to be by committee," Dowell said. "We have quite a few guys who can play a lot of places and a few young guys who have stepped up and embraced some roles that are pretty heavy."
Sophomore Lance Fricke has stood out early on, while junior Chase Birdsong is expected to contribute after ACL injuries dashed his sophomore campaign.
Club commitments have also left a sizeable void between the pipes for the Wolves, with Ashkan Khosravi out of the mix.
"I'm not sure anyone can entirely take over for Ashkan," Dowell said. "He's probably the best high school keeper I've ever seen so losing him was a big, big hurt."
Non-district play will be the chance to iron out Khosravi's successor, with no clear front-runner established between seniors Carson Liesenfelt, Matt Bird, Sam Farmer and sophomore Adam Learmont.
West will join its fellow Plano ISD comrades Thursday at the Garland Invitational as the team continues to establish roles, chemistry and furthermore, an identity as district play looms at the start of February.
"I always want to play a possession, attack-minded game," Dowell said. "We're not necessarily big or tall and we'll try to keep the ball, play with some pace and create chances. With the guys we have, we should theoretically be better prepared to finish those chances."
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