This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield boys soccer team finished second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference standings last season, ending up just five points behind Stevens Point.
The Tigers, who finished 11-7-3 overall and 6-3-3 in Wisconsin Valley Conference in 2018, will have to replace their goalkeeper from a year ago, and a number of other seniors that graduated, but do return a host of players that were key in their run up the WVC standings.
“We have a good core of returning players that will be mixed with inexperienced, but talented players,” Marshfield coach Steve McCann said. “Team chemistry will have to develop early as we have a very tough early schedule with Holmen, River Falls, New Richmond and Stevens Point as our first four games. It will be especially important that our defense comes together quickly as we lost our starting goalkeeper and three starting defenders.”
Senior Kyle Tremelling is the Tigers’ top returning scorer, having poured in 15 goals in 2018 on his way to first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference honors.
Sam Roherty also returns after scoring 11 goals last season and being named honorable mention all-conference.
The coaching staff stays intact as well, giving McCann some stability in a program he hopes continues to be on the rise.
“I know our team will be strong offensively and I look forward to seeing lots of goals scored by our team,” McCann said. “I suspect we will have several high scoring games this season, which will make our team fun to watch.
“I am also glad to have the same coaching staff back, with Jeff Molter assisting and Jenna Beach as goalkeeper coach. They do an amazing job in coaching up the boys and supporting me. I also added Luke McCann to my staff, who will help raise the intensity in practices and he will help out with the JV2 squad.”
Trevor Cassidy and Tanner Nelles will battle for playing time at goalkeeper.
Other returning players include seniors Alex Giles, Josh Gruen, Evan Weister and Bennett Koehn at midfielder, juniors Spencer Frey and Alejandro Mayagoitia as defenders and midfielders. Addox Bunker and Ethan Lallemont also are back.
Logan Meyer, Gavin Young and Tim Kraus at defenders, and Alex Simon, Nick Urban, Brian Fay, Ian Haugen and Damin Escudero at midfielder are other newcomers to the team.
McCann said that mix of talent and experience will be helpful in another tight conference race.
”As far as WVC, the Division 1 schools always reload and Stevens Point are the team to beat,” McCann said. “Wausau East will be really good this year also. I think we really should be able to compete well with all the teams and it will be interesting how things shake out.”
Marshfield will open its season with three home games this week. The Tigers host Holmen on Tuesday and River Falls on Thursday at Griese Park, before playing the first athletic event at the new Heiting Community Stadium when they play New Richmond at 4:30 p.m. Friday prior to the first football game, which follows at 7:30 p.m. when Marshfield plays Oshkosh North.
“We are super excited to have the opportunity to play and practice in the new stadium,” McCann said. “The turf is amazing and the stadium is state of the art. It will be great to play 7 p.m. night games. We are so fortunate to have had the community step up and build such a wonderful complex for our high school athletes.”
The Marshfield boys and girls programs will host a one-day soccer camp on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Heiting Community Stadium. Click here for a registration form. The camp is open to players from kindergarten through eighth grade.