Quantcast
skip navigation

Washburn soccer: 90 out for '91 repeat

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune, 08/21/12, 6:28PM CDT

Share

Farmington girls, New Prague boys set sights higher

Most high school-age kids now hear of the year 1991 and think of it as "back in the day."

For boys' soccer players at Minneapolis Washburn, 1991 indeed was a long time ago, and what they hope to accomplish is a long time coming.

The Millers have not won a City Conference championship since the fall of the Halloween Blizzard, which hit a few years before current players were born.

The program has grown in popularity recently. This year, 90 players showed up for two-a-days camp.

The belief is there is enough talent to make a historic run.

"I think we actually have a legitimate chance this year, which is all you can ask for," coach Aaron Percy said.

The eight seniors on the roster have been on varsity since they were freshmen. As sophomores, Percy said, he put the group "under fire."

"They weren't ready to play, but the only way to get them ready was to put them in there," he said.

The team has progressively improved, from four victories in 2009, to eight a year later to nine last fall.

The team has a new goalkeeper and some up-and-coming sophomores whom Percy is eager to get into the mix.

Other than that, it's the same, seasoned crew.

"We're going to be solid pretty much everywhere," Percy said. "It's a nice problem to have."

Fast in Farmington

Don't blink, or you might miss some of the best action on the soccer pitch in Farmington this fall.

Coach Rob Carpentier is pleased with the group he has out this season, especially the team speed. That shouldn't be surprising.

Junior Izzie Ferm and sophomore Megan Graham ran on the Tigers' Class 2A sixth-place 4x400 relay team last spring. Ferm also placed sixth individually in the 400-meter dash.

Off the schneid?

New Prague's boys' soccer team has not won a varsity game since the program started three years ago. Coach Jonathan Hoepke doesn't believe that trend will continue.

"We will change that this year," he wrote in an e-mail. "We will win."

The Trojans get their first chance Thursday against Mankato East.