2006 Outlook
Chris Shelton |
The success of 2006 Temple University men’s soccer team is tough to predict, even for its head coach. David MacWilliams, who enters his seventh season at the helm of the Owls, returns just eight letterwinners. Thankfully all saw significant time in the starting lineup. However, 18 newcomers arrived at camp with the hopes of not only earning a spot on the roster, but in the starting lineup.
“This definitely is a rebuilding year,” states MacWilliams, who has guided the Cherry and White to the A-10 Finals twice in the last three seasons. “We lost our top offensive and defensive player, and have many quality newcomers vying for roles. How quickly the younger players adjust to our system will determine how successful we are.”
The Owls will be without four-year starters Joe Brocker, Tony Donatelli and Timmy Greer, all key factors in the program’s turnaround. Donatelli, selected in the MLS supplemental draft, led the Philadelphia Soccer 7 in scoring the last two season while Brocker and Greer spearheaded one of the league’s top defenses.
Matt Maher |
MacWilliams will count on a trio of seniors – Ryan Heins, Matt Maher and Chris Shelton – to provide leadership to the incoming players. Heins, a 6-2 midfielder, is the leading returning scorer with three goals. A 6-0 defender, Maher dished two assists last season while the 6-2 Shelton is a three-year starting defensive back.
“I am extremely confident in the leadership ability of our seniors,” MacWilliams said.
Offense was a problem area for Temple last year. The Owls scored just six goals over their 18 matches, which was the main factor in the team failing to qualify for the six-team conference tournament. The Owls tied for sixth in the conference standings, but lost out on a spot due to a tie-breaker.
Besides Heins, TU returns just one player, sophomore midfielder Ben Marucci (two goals), who scored more than once in 2005. Sophomores Mike Minai, a midfielder, and James Suevo, a defender, each tallied one goal
“We need to do a better job finishing this season,” explains the Temple mentor. “We have skilled offensive players. We just need them to step forward.”
Defensive will continue to be one of the strengths of the Owls. Besides two starters returning in Maher and Shelton, MacWilliams has two experienced goalkeepers in junior Tony Pratico (0.98 GAA, 38 saves, 3 shutouts) and sophomore Bryant Hosler (2.89 GAA, 29 saves). Junior Trevor Lyman, a transfer from Saint Joseph’s, provides depth at the position.
Ryan Heins |
Who among the newcomers will step up? That is the question for MacWilliams and his coaching staff of Ron Johnson and John Amorin, both in their second seasons on the sidelines.
MacWilliams expects senior forward Jonathan Ball, an Oral Roberts transfer who was on the squad at the start of last season, and junior forward Eddie Romero, the leading scorer at NJIT in 2005, to be ready to make an immediate impact. The two should give the offense a jump-start with their speed and quickness.
Three other transfers, sophomores Joe Cartwright (Rutgers) and freshmen Augustin Coly and Francois Sagne, both red-shirted at Cleveland State last season, are also expected to see quality time. Among the incoming freshmen, midfielder Mike Puppolo and defender Brant Hovington appear to be the most capable of contributing immediately.
Rounding out the rest of the team is sophomore transfer Kevin Thorne (East Carolina), sophomores Frantisek Kozacik and Warren Richards, freshmen Zachary Fayer, Chas Chupein, Kurt Walsh, Derek Ludlow, Max Villwock, J. T. Noone and Martin Dell’Archiprete.
