Page 6B
2o18 st, sxr a SPORTS
February 21, 2018
.r
Dawson Daniel moves upfield during the Bulldogs'8-0 win over Warner
Robins on Feb. 9. Daniel had four goals in the game. (Photo/ rdl Davis)
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
Despite losing 10 seniors
from last year's region cham-
pionship team, the Mary
Persons boys soccer team is off
to an unbeaten start, and hop-
ing to make a run at the pro-
gram's first-ever back-to-back
region titles.
But coach Allen Luton says it
won't be easy.
%Ve're just finding out what
kind of team we are," said
Luton. '%Ve'll see what hap-
pens. It's definitely going to be
a challenge."
While conceding he may not
have as many skill players as
last year, Luton said he has
been pleased with his team's
work ethic in the pre-season.
' We're not as talented as last
year, but the attitude is great.
I like working with guys who
do what I ask them do," said
Luton, who almost left MP two
years ago after he quit teach-
ing to coach soccer at Middle
Georgia State University.
' hat's why I keep coming
back (to MP)."
While the Bulldogs have won
three region titles in the past
five years, they have yet to win
region in consecutive years.
Gone from last year's team
are four-year starters James
Davis and Shane King, who
led MP to two of those three
titles. But this year's senior
captains Dawson Daniel and
Alex Rivera bring the same
longevity and talent to their
jobs.
'This year we need their
leadership," said Luton.
Perhaps best-known as MP's
most successful placekicker
ever, Rivera will again anchor
the center mid-field position
as the team's playmaker and
distributor.
The quick Daniel will play up
top with senior Jacob Anthony
and sophomore Julian Rivera
as a potent three-headed
monster offense for opposing
defenses. These points of the
spear in tl e MP attack are
already giving defenses fits
with their speed and skill.
Junior Braydon Martin will
play right behind them when
he returns from an injury suf-
fered in the win over Warner
Robins, when he collided with
a future Auburn football player
on the Demon soccer team.
Luton notes that Martin, like
Julian Rivera and several oth-
ers on the team, is the brother
of another player in the pro-
gram, the recently graduated
Hunter Martin.
Anthony got lots of playing
time last yea after transfer-
ring from Covenant Academy,
and has already been match-
ing Daniel and the Rivera
brothers in terms of goal scor-
ing. He is also faster after los-
ing 15 pounds for wrestling.
Freshman Garrison Walker
has travel ball experience and
will likely get immediate play-
ing time at midfield, especially
with Martin hurt.
Perhaps the Bulldogs' tall-
est player, sophomore William
Atkins will also join Alex
Rivera at the midfield. Like
many starters, Atkins brings
travel ball experience to the
pitch.
Atkins' brother Trae also
played for Luton at MP.
Senior Beau Watson has paid
his dues with the program and
will likely get a lot more play-
ing time this year in the mid-
field area.
Senior Matt Miller will lead
the defense after having a very
strong junior season. Miller
didn't even start at the begin-
ning of the 2017 campaign but
worked himself onto the field
with his tenacity.
"He's real coachable and has
gotten better and better," said
Luten, noting that Miller's
brother Kenny also played for
MP.
The Culloden Canon, speedy
senior Jakob Cox, who lost his
familiar long mane before the
season, will hold down Miller's
left side.
"I hope he doesn't lose his
Mojo with his haircut," joked
Luton.
Another travel ball player
with skills, sophomore Mason
Baker, will man the defense.
His brother Dawson also
played soccer for the Bulldogs.
In the goal the Bulldogs
return senior and third-year
starter Brock Hulsey. Luton
said Hulsey keeps getting
better and said he also Wants
Hulsey to step up in the lead-
ership department to boost the
defense. He'll be backed up by
freshman Aubrey Peterman,
who also has significant travel
ball experience and is the
keeper of the future for the MP
program.
While it21 be hard to improve
on last year's 14-3-2 record,
the Bulldogs will be hungry
to avenge last year's Round 1
state playoff loss, a big upset .
in penalty kicks to Eastside 'i
High from Covington.
'"]'he playoff loss was tough,"
said Luton. ' /ou never know :
when you get to penalty kicks." :
Looking at the region, Luton :
said he thinks Upson-Lee,
which returns the Region
Player of the Year and was
MP's only region loss last year,
will be the biggest challenge
for the Bulldogs. Perry and
Spalding will also be tough
again, said Luton. He Said it
was tough last year because
every one was gunning for the
loaded Bulldogs, who had a
deep bench. This year, MP is
the complete opposite, with
very little bench. But Luton
said he kind of likes being an
underdog for a change.
The boys have a new coach
with a familiar name this
season. Seventh grade math
teacher Andrew Stevick, who
played soccer for MP, is help-
ing Luton this year.
By Richard Dumas played almost every min-
forsyth@mymcr.net ute last year for me. So I'm
expecting her to have a big
The Mary Persons girls year, probably a breakout
soccer team brings back year. Maybe score a bit
a strong nucleus of talent more than she did last
in 2018 as it seeks to win year."
the program's first region Hall also anticipates
championship in seven increased offensive output
years, from Finch, who primarily
With 10 returners from led the defense a year ago.
last yea s 10-8-1 squad, Finch already scored an
second-year head coach early-season goal off of a
Dallas Hall said he has corner kick and will be one
higher expectations for the . of the offensive leaders on
2018 Lady Dogs. most set pieces. Finch will
"I don't really like the also continue to be the cor-
losses that we had last nerstone of MFs defense,
year," Hall said. "Eight bringing physicality to
losses, rm not a big fan of the back line.
that. I'd like to at least cut Joining Finch in the rear
that in half losses-wise. If of MFs formation will be
we cut that in half, then a pair of junior returners,
that's very good region- marking backs Sidney
wise. Of come, the goal is Briner and Rachel Adams
always to win region, to be and senior returner Naomi
closer to (defending chan - Sanders: While Adams has
pion) Spalding than we missed time in the early
were last year. But thafs season due to a knee inju-
always the goal. That's ry, Hall has experimented
the gir s' goal, and that's with having three backs
what they want to achieve instead of four. He said he
as well. But if it doesn't wants MP to be flexible
happen, then the goal is to enough in 2018 to adjust
get as far in the playoffs as its formations on the fly
possible." according to the skill set of
Among MP's top return- its opponents.
ers are four standouts who Joining Giles and
received all-region honors Buffington in the midfield
in 2017 including:, sopho- will be junior Morgan
more striker Abbie Davis, Lawson, who will be
sophomore midfielder count ed on to fill the big
Taylor B n, and the shoes of the graduated
two 2018 captains, junior Emily Barnes. Hall said
midfielder Annie Giles Lawson has flashed in the
and senior center back pre-season many of the
Kennedy Finch. same skills Barnes pos-
Starting as freshmen, sessed.
the speedy duo of Davis "She's improved a
and Buffington were MP's whole bunch from last
leading scorers in 2017 year, really, really great
and will be looked upon improvement," Hall said
for even more quality ' of Lawson. "She's starting
play in 2018. Buffington, to learn the position, and
who missed most of the I think by the time region
pre-sehson while playing comes around shell be
on MFs basketball team, pretty comfortable in that
scored four goals in her role. Her work rate is so
first game back earher high all the time. I never
this month. Giles will be have to tell her to pick it
counted on to dictate the up or it's not good enough
tempo of the game from or anything. I know her
the midfield, work rate is going to be
Hall said of Giles: "She there all the time every
Strong-legged midfielder Taylor Buffington is expected to
again be one of MP's top goal scorers. (Photo/Will Davis)
single game."
Up front, along with
Davis, MP will feature a
pair of versatile freshmen,
Mara Emami and Lauren
Hamm, who each have
extensive club experience.
Varsity reserves will
include: Lauren Hamm's
older sister, Meredith
Hamm, a junior
who will see action
all over the field,
Spalding transfer
Hope Brooks, a
junior who will
play midfield and
forward, sophomore
Alexis Havens,
who was promoted
from JV, and senior
Anmol Patel, a for-
ward who has been
a stalwart on JV for
several seasons.
Hall said of Patel:
"All the girls like
her, and she just
provides a good
personality for the
team. Will she be a
huge impact player?
Maybe not on the
field, but off the
field, absolutely."
MFs starting goalkeeper
will be returning senior
Lori Smith, who has
improved greatly from
last year, according to her
coach.
' She's a lot more confi-
dent this year," Hall said
of Smith. '%ast year, I
wanted her to be more
confident playing with her
feet, and I think she is
more confident in that role
so far this year, which I'm
happy about. The first two
games she's been doing
what I wanted her to do."
Hall said he has shaken
up the team's schedule
in 2018 in order to better
prepare the Lady Dogs
for tough playoff competi-
tion like St. Pius X, which
ousted MP in the second
round of last yea s state
playoffs. Most of MFs non-
region games will be either
against AAAA teams
the Henry County area or
against state powers like
AAAAAA Houston County
or AAAAA Warner Robins.
'Tin excited to play
different teams, out-of-
conference teams that
we've never seen before,
the girls have never seen,"
Hall said. 'You kind of
get tired of playing the
same programs, so I tried
to venture out into Henry
County and teams that we
might run into their region
in the playoffs.
Within Region 2-AAAA,
Hall said the other five
teams, including MP, are
still chasing Spalding,
which went undefeated
2018 MP Varsity
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION
Feb. 23 West Laurens* Away.
Feb. 27 Upson-Lee* Away
Mar. 2 Perry* Away
Mar. 6 Howard* Home
Mar. 9 Tattnall Square Away
Mar. 13 West Laurens* Home
Mar. 16 Spalding* Away
Mar. 22 Howard* Away
Mar. 27 Upson-Lee* Home
Apr. 13 Spalding* Home
Apr. 17 Perry* Home
Apr. 20 Dutchtown Home
Apr. 26 Girls (1st Round State)TBD
Apr. 27 Boys (1st Round State)TBD
within the region a year
ago. He said Howard is
also expected to be solid,
and Upsen-Lee and Perry
have had up-and-down
cycles over the last several
years.
'2VIy hope is that we've
closed the gap a little bit,"
Hall said of MFs chances
to catch Spalding.
Hall said it will help
that he knows his players
much better than in year
one while his players also
know what he wants out
of them.
m expecting more i
from the girls I had last
year just because they've
been in my system for a
year, Hall said: So now
everything should click, ,
and they know my expec- :
J
#
tations. And the way I
want to play and'the way :
I'm expecting everybody
to play. And the work rate ,
that I expect from every-
body. They should be more :i
comfortable with that. I
think most of them are,
and I'm seeing it m the
first two games. They're
J
a bit more together as a
group than they ,vere last :
year. And that's always a i
plus, especially with girls." ,
Schedule
TIME ':
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5:30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5"30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
G-5-30 p.m B-7:30 p.m.
TBD
TBD
