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PASCO COUNTY BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 13, 2008

Bishop McLaughlin

COACH: John Mayer (fourth year)
2007 RECORD: 7-6-7; 5-0-1 (Class 2A-9)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Diego Pestana. senior, goalkeeper/forward; Danny Ramirez, senior, defense; Mike Pirello, senior, defense; Nick Hellman. senior, defense; Andres Saavedra, senior, midfielder;
KEY PLAYERS LOST: With an experienced defense, the Hurricanes will look to get the offense working together. The defense was very stingy – giving up very few goals last season. The offense lost lots of its scoring punch but will look for Saavedra and Matt Gulau to step up their goal production.

Gulf

COACH: Grant Wortz (second year)
2007 RECORD: 7-13-3; 7-9-2 (4A-8)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Matt Juhnke, senipr, midfielder; Zach Waller, junior, goalkeeper/midfielder
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Jimmy McGroary
OUTLOOK: Gulf's five starting freshmen from last year -- Adnan Baset, Petar Andjelic, Tyler Best, Lane Miller and Vlad Marlowe, along with last year's leading goal scorer Matt Juhnke. With only one loss from last year's starters, the Bucs hope to compete for the district

Land O' Lakes

COACH: Mark Pearson (13th season)
2007 RECORD: 25-2-1; 8-0 (Class 5A-7)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Alex Spock, senior, goalkeeper; Dominic Cutrofello, senior, midfielder/forward; Sebastian Garcia, senior, midfielder/forward; Frank Villar, junior, defense/midfielder; Felix Soto, senior, midfielder/forward
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Elliott Leniton, Matt Tanner
OUTLOOK: Expect the Gators to pick up where they left off last season. With only three seniors gone from last year's team, Land O' Lakes is the team to beat again this season. Top scorer Dominic Cutrofello (32 goals, 19 assists) and top goalkeeper Alex Spock (0.43 goals-against-average, 17 shutouts) return. Cutrofello scored a hat trick in Monday's win vs. Wiregrass Ranch.

Mitchell

COACH: Oscar Ubillus (third year)
2007 RECORD: 15-7-2; 2-2-1 (Class 6A-7)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Max Rockwell, junior, defense/midfielder; Ryan O'Shaughnessy, senior, defense; Sebastian Ruiz, senior, defense; Robbie Wallace, junior, goalkeeper; Jason Leslie, junior, forward.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Brad Chapman, Steve Schultz, Franco Otiniano.
OUTLOOK: Last year was a good learning year for the young Mustangs. If Monday's 3-2 win vs. Pasco is any indication, Mitchell will be right up there when the Sunshine Athletic conference ends.

Pasco

COACH: Barry Grayling (sixth year)
2007 RECORD: 21-6-2; 16-0 (4A-8)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Roman Farias, senior, midfield; Ernesto Garcia, senior, defender; Jacob Pollock, senior, defender.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Jose Montelongo, Trent Sumner, Cody Sumner, Ryan Lowery, Alex Hollander, David Cano.
OUTLOOK: There are some huge boots to fill for this year's Pirates. Gone is 143-goal scorer Jose Montelongo off last year's region semifinal team. Grayling has move Jacob Pollock from goal to defender and has Gilbert Tanguma in the net. The Pirates dropped a tough 3-2 match to Mitchell on Monday and will get another test tonight at Land O' Lakes.

Ridgewood

COACH: Ed McComiskey (11th season)
2007 RECORD: 10-13-3; 2-6 (5A-7)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Matt Pappas, senior; Mike Piemonte, senior; Chris Ariza, senior; Adam Koon, junior; Alen Sisic, Senior
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Matt Causey, Phil Bianco, Chad SizerChelsea Alicea.
OUTLOOK: The Rams are young but talented and experienced through club soccer. Ridgewood has some momentum heading into the regular season with two wins at the Springstead preseason tournament.

River Ridge

COACH: Michael McHugh (second year)
2007 RECORD: 8-11-3; 3-4-1 (5A-7)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Alex Ratkovic, senior, forward; Blake Monaghan, senior, midfielder; Sean Jones, junior, goalkeeper.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Eric Karcinski.
OUTLOOK: The Royal Knights surprised some last year by finishing second in the district tournament and advancing to the region quarterfinals. River Ridge is loaded with seniors and hope to improve on last year's results.

Sunlake

COACH: Sam Koleduk (second year)
2007 RECORD: 7-13-4; 4-6-4 (4A-8)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Jordan Landry, sophomore; Carlos Herrera, junior; Timmy Vaughn, junior
KEY PLAYERS LOST: None.
OUTLOOK: The Seahawks had a respectable first season last year and are already expecting bigger things. Team could start 10 freshman and sophomores but Coach Koleduk thinks this team will be much improved. They beat The Villages 7-0 and Wesley Chapel 3-1 in a preseason classic.

Wesley Chapel

COACH: Brian Dorkowski (seventh year)
2007 RECORD: 6-10-1; 1-7 (5A-7)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Rafael Morales, junior, forward/midfielder; Justin Prince, senior, midfielder.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: Kyle Funkhouser, Matt Colontonio, Michael Battaglini.
OUTLOOK: The Wildcats are young with only one returning senior starter. The play of Kyle Funkhouser last year will be hard to replace at goalkeeper but newcomer Rafael Morales should be able to create some offense.

Wiregrass Ranch

COACH: Dave Wilson (third year)
2007 RECORD: 6-10-5; 6-5-5 (4A-8)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Steven Esoff, junior; Camilo Hernandez, senior; Sergio Asturias, senior; Andres Caesar, sophomore.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: None
OUTLOOK: For the first time, there are seniors at Wiregrass Ranch and expectations are high and Wilson said it is clearly the best group that Wiregrass Ranch has ever put on the field.

Zephyrhills

COACH: Wade Cutler (third year)
2007 RECORD: 8-7-6
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Joey Maldonado, senior, midfielder; A.J. Wright, senior, forward.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: 12 seniors.
OUTLOOK: Coach Cutler doesn't have much to say about this year's team – and doesn't have much to work with either. The Bulldogs lost 12 seniors and will depend on Maldonado and Wright to keep them in games.

Hudson did not provide information requested for this report.

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