Mary Washington, Salisbury and York have been the dominant three teams in the 19-year history of Capital Athletic Conference men’s soccer. In addition to finishing as the top three teams in the last three regular-season standings, they’ve combined to win every playoff title.
York, ranked No. 8 in the 2010 NSCAA preseason poll, won its fourth CAC crown in the last 12 years by defeating Stevenson 2-1 in the 2009 championship game. The Spartans have compiled a 35-1-7 overall record the past two seasons.
Salisbury, ranked No. 20 in the 2010 NSCAA preseason poll, won seven CAC titles in 10 years between 1999 and 2008. The Sea Gulls have been the top seed entering the CAC Tournament in two of the past three years.
Mary Washington, which leads the CAC with eight conference championships, has finished among the top three teams in the regular season in each of the past four seasons.
Those three teams face strong challenges every time they step on the pitch, evidenced by recent membership additions Wesley (2008) and Stevenson (2009) advancing to the conference championship match the past two years. This year’s new CAC member – Frostburg State – also figures to be a title contender after registering 12 or more wins in each of the past three seasons.
The 2010 season starts with eight non-conference games on Wednesday (9/1), and every team is in action during Labor Day weekend, most in tournaments. The conference season kicks into gear on Sept. 15, when Salisbury travels to Hood and Marymount visits Frostburg State.
The nine CAC teams will be battling for six playoff berths, leading to the conference championship game on Nov. 6 and the chance to earn an automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Here is a brief preview of each CAC men’s soccer team heading into the 2010 season.
FROSTBURG STATE men’s soccer head coach Keith Byrnes enters his ninth season with plenty of reasons to be optimistic after a 12-7-1 campaign in 2009. The Bobcats, who have won 12 or more games in each of the last three seasons, are anchored by a pair of all-conference performers in junior defender Jamie Flewellyn and senior midfielder Raul Diaz. Goalkeeper Steven Cavallo returns for his senior season after posting a 10-6 record with a pair of shutouts last year.
Head coach Brian Wall enters his seventh season as the HOOD mentor and looks for his squad of 14 returners and eight newcomers to make a name for the Blazers in the CAC this season. After dropping six one-goal decisions last year, including two in overtime, the Blazers look to use their stunning turf field to their advantage, hosting a program-record 10 rivals this fall. Lone senior and team captain Adam Peterson will look to guide a young Blazer squad containing 12 sophomores and freshmen.
Four of the top five goal scorers in 2009 for MARYMOUNT, combining for 20 of the team’s 29 goals, return to the lineup for veteran coach Keith Moser. Senior Phillippe Millogo topped the Saints with eight scores and 18 points while underclassmen Cherif Moktefi, Kjell Crooke and Adam Freitas each found the back of the net four times last year. Senior keeper William Brahmstedt will lead the defense, which recorded five shutouts in 2009.
MARY WASHINGTON head coach Roy Gordon begins his 34th season at the helm with the return of three all-conference performers in sophomore Duke Mensah-Abrampah, junior Will Gallop, and senior T.L. Tutor. Senior Ryan Taibl will look to return to all-CAC form as well, while the Eagles will look for replacements for all-conference defender Peter Toohey and goalie Emmett Rutkowski, who graduated in May.
SALISBURY, ranked No. 20 nationally, will look to build off of a season in which they went 15-3-2, claimed the CAC regular season title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. SU will rely upon a sturdy defense made up of seniors Justin Lambert, Casey Rector and Joe Rubel that held opposing offenses to just 0.60 goals per game in ’09.
Ninth-year head coach Herb Gainey and his ST. MARY’S squad is ready to go following a successful training trip in Italy at the beginning of August. Coach Gainey looks forward to the addition of transfer Mark Jaskolski (Loyola [Md.] College) to the frontline. A creative attacking player, Jaskolski will look to complement the scoring output of all-league selections, Ted Scharfenberg (5g, 5a) and Chris Quamina (5g, 3a). Former CAC Rookie of the Year, Kevin Seeger, and Taylor Lewis will anchor the defensive line in front of goalkeeper Paul Spranklin (2.32 GAA) as St. Mary's looks to improve upon its team defense. Brian Payne (3g), a second team all-star, Matt Grady (2g, 3a) and Aaron Lewis will be expected to control the midfield, helping the Seahawks unleash their counterattacks.
STEVENSON is coming off last season in which it finished with 12 wins, one shy of the school record, a spot in the CAC title game and an appearance in the semifinals of the ECAC Division III South Region Championship. John Plevyak, the 2009 CAC Co-Coach of the Year, leads a young Mustang squad (12-10-1, 5-3 CAC in 2009) that went 7-2-1 in their final 10 games a season ago. Leading the way are reigning CAC Rookie of the Year Ansger Otto and All-CAC Second Team netminder, junior Ryan Flannelly.
WESLEY returns 18 student-athletes from last season’s ECAC South runner up squad for Head Coach Steve Clark. Junior Kyle Long tied for fifth in the CAC with eight goals a year ago and teams with Josh Chellah and Frank Buffa to give the Wolverines their top three scorers from a year ago. Former all-region pick Craig Taswell returns after missing last year due to injury, as does Will Sutton, who was injured during midseason. Nick Talarico, a former All-CAC and all-region selection as a sophomore, returns for his fourth year as the starting goalkeeper.
YORK, ranked No. 8 in the NSCAA preseason poll, opens the 2010 campaign looking to reload after winning the 2009 CAC Tournament title and advancing the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Despite losing six tremendous seniors, including 2009 NSCAA Division III National Player-of-the-Year Jon Ports, the Spartans welcome back five of their top eight scorers as well as several defensive standouts. Two-time first-team All-CAC choice Kemal Nuspahic looks to lead the Spartan attack while 2009 all-conference selection Adam Good will look to lead the Spartans from the backline. Along with a strong crop of fresh faces, the Spartans will look to once again battle for the CAC crown in 2010.
