PIRATES PREPARED TO TAKE THE SOCCER FIELD

January 11, 2012

 
Pirate Soccer
 

The Pirate soccer team at Granbury High School is ready to take the field, eager to face tough opposition with hopes of advancing to the post-season for the fourth year in a row.

 

In 2011, the boys won their third-straight district title and advanced to the sectional playoff round.  They defeated Crowley 5-0 in bi-district and Fort Worth Trimble Tech 3-2 in area before falling to Fort Worth North Side 2-0.

 

 “We know what it takes to get where we ended at last year. But we can’t really look at the success from last year in great detail because this is a different ball club,” commented head coach Doug Kissinger, who is assisted by William Freeman and Ryan Ellis.

 

The varsity players are seniors Scott Baker, Erick Espinosa, Dylan Francis, Taylor Green, Edgar Hernandez, Michael Horn, Tyler McKenzie, Zach Oakley, Zach Payne, Patrick Vasquez; juniors Erick Garcia, Aaron Gentry, Ryan Hammonds, Julio Moreno, J.P. Perriello, Matt Rose, Thomas Schloeman; and sophomores Christian Carnes and Shaun Gomez.
 
On the junior varsity sqauds are Fernando Aguado, David Barnette, Dillon Black, Aleck Blohowiak, Tristan Campbell, Marc Cisneros, Nate Colley, Jason Davis, Peyton Durant, Brandon Dyson, Jacob Dyson, Juan Espinosa, Oscar Espinoza, Brennan Fellows, Ethan Franklin, Christian Gamez, Oscar Gamez, Josh Garcia, Ryan Garland, Samuel Hernandez, Kevin Horn, Justin Jackson, Matt Jones, Jonathan Lopez, Alexis Martinez, Ivan Martinez, Matthew McKelvain, Ricardo Moreno, Sterling Otting, Eddie Ramirez, Marco Ramirez, Oscar Raygoza, Francisco Rodriguez, Eduardo Ruiz, Fernando Sanchez, A.J. St. Jean, Juan Trujillo, and Kaleb Wilson.

 

Of the group, nine were on the varsity squad last year, and seven started.  Both Francis and Horn are in their fourth year on the school’s top team, and Schloeman was selected as all-region last season.

 

“Our greatest asset this season is the nineteen players that are on the varsity roster. Any 11 of them could be starting,” said Kissinger.  “We do not feel like there is a gap in skill level between the ones that may start and the ones that may be subs.  A key to being a successful team is to have a strong bench and to know how to and where to use them.”

 

District 15-4A play will begin in February, with the Pirates facing Alvarado, Cleburne, Joshua, and Venus.  Former district contender Hillsboro discontinued its soccer program.

 

“We are excited – more excited than last year because we now know the guys,” Kissinger remarked.   “We know what we have.  We know what all the pieces look like and are just working on getting them put together correctly.”

 

Pictured above is senior Patrick Vasquez as the Pirates defeated Burleson 3-1 in their final scrimmage on January 10.
 

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