The 2017-18 MHSAA soccer season is on the horizon. Here is a preview of the Laurel girls and boys soccer teams.
Laurel Girls
Head Coach: Julio Martinez
Previous Year Record: 0-11-1 (overall); 0-6 (Region 5-5A)
First Game: vs. Northeast Jones on November 7 at 5:30 p.m.
What coach had to say:
“I’m very proud of the work our girls have put in since the end of last season. I was able to get a few of our girls to play recreation soccer and a few others to run track, so physically we’re going to be able to compete. Skill wise we’re getting much better. Our girls understand the game more, last year that is one of the things we lacked. We had talent, but we had girls that had never played the sport before. I believe this year we’re going to show that, our girls understand things a lot better.
“It’s been hard to compete in our district. In our district, we have teams that have been state champions before and state runner-ups. And those girls play select soccer in state and some even out of state. Our girls do not, so that makes it hard on us. But I’m very proud of our girl’s hard work and dedication, and I feel they’re beginning to understand the sport and what their task is. I think that will be the difference in our team this year. They will do more than participate; they will compete.”
Laurel Boys
Head Coach: Julio Martinez
Previous Year Record: 6-7-2 (overall); 3-3 (Region 5-5A)
First Game: vs. Northeast Jones on November 7 at 7 p.m.
What coach had to say:
“We still have a young team this year. I lost two of my best players [to graduation], and one of them was arguably the best player in the county. But we had a lot of young kids play last year too, even some seventh and eighth graders so those guys will have some experience under them and I believe that will help us. Even though they were young, their skill level has increased.
“The lost against West Jones last year that put us out of the playoffs hurt, but since then they’ve been working hard because they don’t want to be in that situation again. I don’t want to focus on just one team [in our region], but that game gave us some experience and life lessons that money can’t buy. It has given our guys a desire to be better and do better. Our guys are not angry because that is a bad word, but they are hungry.
“I’m looking forward to this season, even though we are young and starting two eight-graders this year. We may be young, but we’re a promising team.”
