Sports
Underclassmen provide a bright spot for men’s soccer in tough season
By Sterling Xie ’16
October 18, 2012
So far, this season has not been a smooth ride for the Continentals men’s soccer team. At 4-6-2 overall and 2-5-2 in the NESCAC Conference, Hamilton is among a handful of teams in the lower half of the NESCAC standings attempting to steal one of the final playoff spots. However, as the schedule winds down, a few underclassmen have stepped up to bolster tenuous playoff hopes, revealing the team’s promising future.
Over alumni weekend, Oct. 5 through Oct. 7, the Continentals finished 1-1-1 against NESCAC opponents by losing to Middlebury 2-0, tying Bowdoin 2-2 and defeating Colby 2-0. The team also suffered a painful 2-1 overtime loss to non-conference opponent Ithaca College.
In the two closely contested overtime games against Ithaca and Bowdoin, first-year Johnny McGuinnis proved to be vital by contributing two of the team’s three total goals. In both instances, McGuinnis’ goals were a direct result of hustle and effort, as they came on loose ball rebounds.
McGuinnis attributes his recent success to knowing his role and staying within himself.
“Personally, being a freshman I have to remember to be simple and not too fancy,” he commented. He also added, “If I continue to take my opportunities as they come, hopefully I’ll be able bury and create more goals.”
Coach Perry Nizzi is impressed not only with the McGuinnis’s recent goal streak, but also his maturation as an all-around soccer player.
Nizzi stated, “He’s a very hard-working, opportunistic guy who stays active around the goal. His two goals were from three and four feet out.”
He added, “Unless you’re an unbelievable goal scorer, the main thing is developing the young players so they know what they’re doing defensively as the first line of defense. Hopefully as he keeps learning the defensive side he’ll earn more minutes.”
It is also encouraging that other first-years and sophomores have earned additional playing time, becoming integral parts of the team’s improved second-half record. Nizzi is confident in the development of several tenacious underclassmen, regardless of their roles as starters or bench contributors.
“I think we’ve been lucky to have some other freshmen step up. Bayard Geeslin has been working really hard and getting important minutes,” Nizzi said. “Erich Marcks got his break when Hennie Bosman [’13] got hurt and was out for two weeks. A natural lefty, he got to start and play a lot of minutes, even getting a goal and an assist.
A couple of sophomores who have exhibited strong showings so far this season are Trevor Bobola and Dan Kraynak.
Coach Nizzi said, “Trevor’s more physically mature than your typical sophomore and he’s giving us great minutes off the bench. And Dan, now that he’s back from a stress fracture, has been outstanding.”
These players’ progression and contributions have been invaluable, adding to the steady contributions of upperclassmen leaders.
On Oct. 20, the Continentals play Tufts in their conference finale. A win in this game would assure Hamilton a place in the playoffs. Coach Nizzi is continuing to preach focus to his team in order to reach this goal. In particular, set plays, such as corner kicks, free kicks and throw-ins, have plagued the team recently, accounting for four out of seven goals the team conceded the past week.
“I just call it a bad luck season, it seems like our balls just hit the post or someone else. There’s nothing that we can put our finger on, most of them have been some real crazy bounces or throws,” said Nizzi. “Ithaca did have a real good throw and our guy got picked off, but it happens so quickly and there’s 15 or 16 guys all bunched up. We’ve just been on the wrong end of it a lot.”
Bad luck or not, the bounces have significantly hurt the team by costing them valuable points that could have already clinched a postseason berth or improved the team’s seeding.
For the Conts to accomplish their preseason goal of making it to the playoffs, the team must put together a concerted 90-minute effort against the Jumbos, who are currently 3-2-3 in the NESCAC.
Fortunately, it appears the upperclassmen’s infectious competitiveness has caught on with the rest of the team, creating a confident and unified locker room.
“Our captains and coaches have made it clear that these last games are the most important, so whether you are a starter or you come off the bench for the last ten minutes of the half (like me), you give it your all and you play for the team and the win,” said McGuinnis. “If we continue to be tenacious for the full ninety minutes, I strongly believe we will make it to the playoffs and that we have great potential there.”