Bearcats enter season with high hopes
Published 6:52 pm Friday, January 27, 2017
The Bainbridge Bearcat men’s soccer team is gearing up for the 2017 season with high hopes. The team kicked around Centennial Field Thursday, Jan. 26, with excitement and purpose. The varsity team is top heavy with leadership on the offensive end of the field and will hope to be on the attack throughout the season.
“We’re taking a Spurrier mentality to this season,” said Head Coach Rick Lewis, “it’s going to be their job to stop us.”
The team is led by Misael Rodriguez, who has been preparing and getting into better shape for this upcoming season, according to Coach Lewis.
“There were a few points last season where we could pinpoint exactly why we lost,” said Coach Lewis,” we lost because we got tired.”
Coach Lewis is confident in their chances in the region, and says barring any new unknown talent in the region he feels really good about the upcoming season.
“I think we’ve got the chance to surprise a couple teams this year,” said Coach Lewis, “I don’t think they’ll be used to the competition that they’re going to see from us but we’ll only surprise them the first time around.”
Last season, the team went 8-6-1 but the issue came with the region record, which was 6-4. Facing four region games after Spring Break, all the Bearcats needed to do was win one to make the playoffs. The team failed to win any of the four, but this year the schedule is in their favor. The bulk of region games come before the Spring Break holiday, which allows the team time to refocus after the break instead of immediately jumping back into it.
“For some reason it’s hard to get soccer players refocused after Spring Break,” said Coach Lewis, “we only have one (region game) after the break this year, so before Spring Break I expect us to have a playoff spot.”
The team kicks off on Feb. 9, against Doughterty at Centennial Field at 5:30 p.m. The Bearcats are poised to perform at a high level with such an experienced attacking corps, but it is always hard to follow up after so much hype. Hopefully, the Bearcats can refocus for the 2017 season and make a run in the playoffs.
