Boys Soccer First Look: Young Hornets Squad Looking to Make a Playoff Push

The Enumclaw boys soccer team comes into the 2011 season with virtually a whole new squad. The 2010 team  made a playoff run thanks to 13 seniors who have since left positions to be filled all over the soccer field. Thanks to a strong turnout of 61 players, however, Enumclaw head coach Skip Ashley is excited about the possibilities for his squad in 2011.

"Things are going well this preseason," Ashley Said. "We are working in a lot of new players into different positions. It's a good group -- they take instruction well, and our six nonleague games will help us grow as a team."

Enumclaw returns just three players from the 2010 varsity squad: defender Tyler Terrell and midfielders Nick Russell and Jay Williams. Ashley has high expectations for Terrell solidifying the Hornet defense.

"Tyler is going to be in charge and run things in the back," Ashley said. "We have a three-way battle going on for goalie so Tyler's experience is going to be important for us."

The goalkeeping position is a fierce competition between seniors Devon Merryfield and . Junior Demetri Anderson is also in the mix for the starting position on the varsity squad.

At the forward position, the competition appears to be wide open as Enumclaw will be looking to several possible candidates including junior Noel Rodriquez, senior Shay Espinoza and sophomores Tyler Koenig, Austin Walsh and Hogan Olafson to provide an offensive scoring punch for the Hornets.

One of the keys to being able to recover quickly from graduation losses is being able to develop a program, and Ashley attributes his confidence in this year's team to the commitment made by the Enumclaw School District to his program.

"Being able to have three teams really helps us," Ashley said. "These guys can come in as freshmen and move their way up by playing together as a group."

The SPSL 3A soccer league has gone through a significant change. Decatur joins the  league from 4A, and schools such as White River, Clover Park, and others have dropped down to the 2A level in 2011. Thus, with fewer teams and a new league format, Ashley expects his squad to be in position for a playoff spot come the end of the season.

"Decatur is probably the league favorite along with defending champion Bonney Lake," Ashley said. "We should work our way into the playoffs by the end of the season."

Enumclaw opens its season against Foster, the team that eliminated them from the subdistrict playoffs in 2010, and Ashley is looking forward to seeing his new squad play.

"This game against Foster will have  more of a friendly feel," he said. "Both teams are dealing with getting enough practices for players and other things. It should be fun for us."

The Hornets home opener will be Friday, March 18 against Capital High School at 5 p.m.