By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor
Two of three area boys soccer teams advanced to regionals last season, with Plant City winning Class 4A District 9, beating Strawberry Crest in the district championship game. Plant City fell to Clearwater 5-4 in a penalty shootout, while Strawberry Crest fell to Seminole High 7-0 in the regional semifinals.
Durant finished the year under .500 but returns a solid group from last season.
All three coaches have close ties with their schools. Plant City’s Chris Black enters his second year as head coach after serving as an assistant for both his brother and his father. Black also played on the very first PCHS boys soccer team during the 1981-82 season.
Durant’s Will Tunstall also enters his second year with his alma mater, while Strawberry Crest’s Scott Vomacka has been with the Chargers since the school opened in 2009.
DURANT
Coach: Will Tunstall
Experience: Entering second year as head coach
2011-12 overall record: 5-8-5
District finish: Went 2-3-1 in Class 5A District 7 and lost in first round of district tourney to Newsome.
Number of starters returning: Six
Key players returning: Caleb Wallis, senior, forward; Joshua Mansilla, senior, center-mid; Ben Eisenhauer, senior, mid; James Bricker, senior, stopper; Duncan Fisher, junior, sweeper
Key players lost: Jacob Brumbeloe, mid and forward
Team strengths: According to Tunstall, the Cougars possess great communication on the field and several players have shown good leadership qualities, helping out younger players. Tunstall also said this team has a lot of speed up front and have pretty good size.
Team weaknesses: Tunstall said he doesn’t want to focus on any weaknesses, as his team hopes to put forth a good season and move on from last year.
Outlook: Tunstall, a former player at Durant, enters his second season as head coach of the Cougars. Durant returns 12 players, including five to six players that saw significant minutes last season. Tunstall will look to Wallis to provide some offense for the Cougars, a team that averaged 2.3 goals a game last year. Tunstall also said that Brickner will be a key defensively, as he plays “aggressively, the right way.”
First game: At Plant City Nov. 6
PLANT CITY
Coach: Chris Black
Experience: Entering second year as head coach
2011-12 overall record: 18-3-3
District finish: Won Class 4A District 9; lost in regional quarterfinals
Number of starters returning: Four
Key players returning: Evan Storie, junior, GK; Juan Navarrette, senior, mid-forward; Gersen Herrera, senior, forward; Edgar Morales, senior, center-mid
Key players lost: Cameron Roberts, 43 goals last season
Team strengths: According to Black, the Raiders have a lot of depth, despite returning only four starters. The Raiders will be able to rotate in a lot of players and keep legs fresh, according to Black.
Team weaknesses: Experience will be an issue for Plant City, after losing nine seniors and seven starters, including Roberts, who led the team in goals last season.
Outlook: Plant City will certainly miss Roberts, who is now playing for Palm Beach Atlantic University, the alma mater of his big brother, PCHS girls coach Caleb Roberts. Storie was the backup goalkeeper last season, and Black is excited of what he will contribute to that position this season. Navarrette (11 goals, 8 assists) and Herrera (15 goals, 4 assists) will be key offensive threats for the Raiders. Morales is a four-year starter that will be looked upon for leadership.
First game: Durant Nov. 6
STRAWBERRY CREST
Coach: Scott Vomacka
Experience: Entering fourth year with SCHS
2011-12 overall record: 7-7-3
District finish: Runner-up in Class 4A District 9; lost in regional quarterfinals
Number of starters returning: Eight
Key players returning: Mazeed Aro-Lambo, senior, forward; Noah Shaffer, senior, center-mid
Key players lost: Rueben Godinez, GK
Team strengths: The Chargers look to be strong up the middle, with four seniors and senior forward Aro-Lambo. Those five players have played together since they were freshmen, according to Vomacka, as well as playing club together.
Team weaknesses: Vomacka said it is too early to tell where his team stands as far as needs for improvement, but said that the goal is to keep improving as a program, something the Chargers have done each year under Vomacka.
Outlook: The Chargers have gotten better as a team each of the three years of the program’s existence, including making its first regionals appearance last season. Strawberry Crest loses its goalkeeper in Godinez, who had 165 saves last season. According to Vomacka, Nick Kubecka will fill that spot. Seniors Aro-Lambo and Shaffer return. The pair were a keys offensively, with Aro-Lambo leading in goals (13) and points (29) and Shaffer leading the team in assists with 10.
First game: At King Nov. 6