Expected Improvement in Every Aspect Points to Better Bruins’ Season in 2010

NEWBERG, Ore. - Needing to replace eight starters but expecting a level of improvement in every facet of the game, George Fox University men’s soccer coach Tim Tsohantaridis anticipates a better season from his Bruins in 2010 following a disappointing eight-place finish in the Northwest Conference last fall.

Eleven letterwinners are gone from a Bruins’ squad that went 5-14 overall and 2-12 in conference play, including midfielder Kyle Story, who tied for the NWC lead in assists with nine, and top defender Peter Luginbill, who both received All-NWC honorable mention.  Replacements will also have to be found for top scorers Brennan Altringer (five goals, three assists), Zach Sanders (four goals, four assists), and Fidel Izquierdo (five goals, one assist).

“We will miss players like Kyle, who was one of the best in the league at distributing the ball, and the size of Keith Marshall, another good defender,” admits Tsohantaridis, who is entering the third year of his second stint with the George Fox program (he was also head coach from 1986-89).  “But I believe our goalkeeping has improved, our defense - which was pretty strong last year anyway - is better, and we will have more balanced scoring, though we are young along the front.”

Goalkeepers

With starting keeper Jake Maguire gone, the door is wide open for the Bruins in goal.  Danny Kamna (Jr., Hillsboro, Ore. / Hillsboro HS) and Elliott Davis (So., Canby, Ore. / Canby HS) each appeared in four games last year, Kamna with 19 saves and Davis with 11 saves and one shutout.  Kasey Haugan (So., Kalispell, Mont. / Glacier HS), Jacob Baker (So., Newberg, Ore. / Newberg HS), and Bren Bletscher (Fr., Seaside, Ore. / Seaside HS) are looking for their first taste of college action. 

“I’d place Danny and Elliott above the others just because of their experience,” says Tsohantaridis, “but Kasey and Jacob have shown great improvement, and Bren, our newcomer, is pushing everyone.”

Defenders

“Our defensive line will be stronger because of our depth,” predicts Tsohantaridis.  “We have six, maybe seven, possible starters, and some good ones are probably going to have less time than the others.”

Connor Campbell (Sr., Salem, Ore. / West Salem HS) and Josh Couch (Jr., Roseburg, Ore. / Roseburg HS) are two of George Fox’s three returning starters and give the Bruins solid experience on the back line.  Tsohantaridis points out that “Conner is a real leader on our team and Josh is well on his way to becoming one.”

Among the newcomers challenging for starting slots are medical hardship freshman Jared Angle (Fr., Tualatin, Ore. / Tualatin HS) and true freshman A.J. Astacio-Patton (Fr., Portland, Ore. / Portland Christian HS).  Says Tsohantaridis, “A.J. and Jared, who missed all of last season with an injury, have really stepped up and will be valuable players for us, with A.J. on the outside and Jared in the middle.”

Derrick Buttrick (So., Spokane, Wash. / Northwest Christian HS) and Tim Palmer (Sr., Salem, Ore. / West Salem HS) both saw important minutes as reserves last year and should see increased playing time this season.

Gaining valuable experience on the Bruins’ JV squad last year were Andrew Vasilauskas (So., Ocean Park, Me.) and Kristopher Brown (Jr., Monmouth, Ore. / Santiam Christian HS), and both appear ready to contribute to the varsity this fall.  Tsohantaridis calls Vasilauskas “one of our most improved players; he’s a play-making defender and we are excited about where we are with him.”

Newcomers Steven Haga (Fr., Creswell, Ore. / Marist HS), who is coming off a knee injury, and Golf Brooks (Fr., Oak Harbor, Wash. / Oak Harbor HS) will get a look as well.

Midfielders

“We have lots of depth at midfield also,” notes Tsohantaridis, “and there should be no big drop in talent when we substitute.”

Among returning players, Sean Jany (So., North Bend, Ore. / North Bend HS) was a starter while Kane Ransom (So., Newberg, Ore. / Newberg HS) and Gustavo Moreno-Vela (So., Woodburn, Ore. / Woodburn HS) saw plenty of playing time in occasional starts as rookies last year.  All will be counted on again, though Ransom has been slowed by a hamstring injury in pre-season practice. 

Available from the junior varsity program are Joseph Byrnes (So., Providence, Utah / Mountain Crest HS), Joseph Tiede (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska / Bartlett HS), Ryan Virgin (So., Newberg, Ore. / Newberg HS), and Sergio Cisneros (So., Klamath Falls, Ore. / Mazama HS).  Glen Garcia (Jr., Van Nuys, Calif. / Hi-Tech Los Angeles HS) joins the Bruins after studying in Spain last year, while Ernest Nasiombe (Jr., Nairobi, Kenya / Friends School Kumasinga) has been on campus for two years before deciding to come out for the soccer team.

Tsohantaridis can choose from a plethora of freshmen to fill in at the midfield positions, including Christian Reed (Fr., Tulsa, Okla. / Jenks HS), who is shifting from defender, Nick Schoen (Fr., Sherwood, Ore. / Sherwood HS), Luke Andrew (Fr., Enumclaw, Wash. / Enumclaw HS), Brandon Zebarth (Fr., Des Moines, Wash. / Seattle Christian HS), Jacob Guckenberger (Fr., Eugene, Ore. / Marist HS), Isaac Widdicombe (Fr., Hillsboro, Ore. / Glencoe HS), Taran Girard (Fr., Waikoloa, Hawai’i / Makualani HS), and Omar Medina (Fr., Hermiston, Ore. / Hermiston HS) via Columbia Basin College.

Forwards

The newest look for George Fox will come on the offensive end of the field, as the Bruins must replace 29 of the 30 goals they scored in 2009.  Sean Daughtry (Sr., Vancouver, Wash. / Battle Ground HS) would have returned four goals and two assists to the Bruins’ attack, but suffered a broken leg in an early practice scrimmage and will miss the entire season.

“Sean’s injury is certainly disappointing, both for us and him,” says Tsohantaridis.  “He had developed into a fine striker for us and we will miss him a lot this year.”

Versatile David Rickey (Sr., Richmond, Ind. / Richmond HS), who had one assist as a midfielder last year, could move into one forward slot, and Schoen is also capable of playing up front.  David Smouse (Fr., Portland, Ore. / Portland Christian HS) is another multi-position player who has shown good scoring potential.

Andrew Van der Werff (So., Redding, Calif. / Redding Christian HS) played on the JV team last year and has shown dramatic improvement.  Ethan Hughton (So., Anchorage, Alaska / Grace Christian HS) is another from the JV program who could be called upon.

Newcomers Tsohantaridis will take a look at include Sawyer Meek (Fr., Canby, Ore. / Canby HS), Torrey Santiago (Fr., Waimea, Hawai’i / Waimea HS), Antonio Salazar (Fr., Woodburn, Ore. / Woodburh HS), and Pedro Munoz (Jr., Cuenca, Ecuador / Rafael Borja HS), the latter also a member of the Bruin tennis team.

Summary

“I believe in substance over image; we look deep in terms of numbers everywhere, but are lacking in overall experience,” admits Tsohantaridis.  “As we fit the pieces of our lineup puzzle together and the players get some game experience, I am cautiously optimistic about our chances of moving up in the conference standings.”

Perhaps the most promising development for the Bruins’ program is the completion of their new playing facility at the Austin Sports Complex half a mile north of the main George Fox campus.  The field is covered with synthetic turf, is lighted for night games, and has bleacher seating for 750.

"After years of planning, we have an exciting new facility that will be one of the finest in the Northwest Conference,” says Tsohantaridis.  “And it is wonderful that we can finally practice on a truly quality field.”

The Bruins will give the new field its first test on Thursday, Sept. 2, at 4:00 p.m. against the Oregon Institute of Technology.  Dedication ceremonies for the field will be held at 6:00 p.m. following the game, then the Bruin women will play their first game of the new season at 7:00 p.m. against Northwest University.