Highland boys soccer transitions into fall season with experienced roster, big goals
Growing pains accompanied the Highland boys soccer team through the fall 2019 season and 2021 campaign shortened last spring due to COVID.
Now, the fall 2021 season is approaching and the Bulldogs welcome back an experienced group that appears poised for success.
“We are ready to get it done (on the field) this year,” Bulldogs coach Jay Robertson said.
HHS returns nine seniors for this season. Andrew Capelle, Tyler Herman, Chase Korte, Evan Loyet, Owen Morris, Caden Newman, Alex Roach, Luke Steib, and Zach Wilken will form the nucleus of the Bulldogs lineup.
“From the end of the season, last year going forward, the majority of the seniors have been in the weight room and been working hard and setting a good example for the underclassmen as well,” Robertson said. “We have a lot of leadership coming back and I’m looking forward to great things from these guys.”
When the Bulldogs have the ball, they will look for scoring production from Roach and Herman near the goal. The duo combined for seven goals as sophomores and tied for the team lead in scoring during the spring season as juniors.
“We will have Alex Roach and Tyler Herman as well as some other kids who will have the ability to put the ball in the back of the net,” Robertson said.
Achieving success this summer also should help bolster the Bulldogs. Highland played in a tournament in early June in Burlington, Iowa, that allowed the team to develop a few more goal scorers and spread out the scoring output.
“I felt like we had a really nice summer. We played a few friendlies (opponents) and we fared pretty well in those games and had some nice wins,” Robertson said.
In the midfield area, Roach, Luke Morris, junior Drew Schonhardt, Loyet, Korte, and Wilken are all expected to contribute on a timely basis.
In the defensive backfield, Newman and junior Gunnar Mackey will man the right-back spot while Morris is expected to handle the right-back position.
Standout senior goalie Luke Stieb, meanwhile, anchors the back end. Stieb sported a gaudy 1.12 goals against average in 10 games last spring and is set to be even better in his final campaign as a Bulldog.
“Luke Stieb, (our) senior goalie, has gotten better and better since I got here,” Robertson said. “I think he’s poised to have a huge year as a senior and he looked great over the summer and had a great year as a junior.”
Campaign set to start at Metro Cup Tourney
Robertson, who begins his third season as the Bulldogs head coach, believes his 2021 edition is primed to have a strong campaign.
Highland opens the season at the Metro Cup Tourney. which takes place Monday, Aug. 23, through Saturday, Aug. 28. The Bulldogs also play a tournament in Iowa this fall.
“From the kids’ standpoint right off the bat, we talked about wanting to contend for conference (MVC) and from there we’re playing in the Metro Cup Tournament and then we are scheduled to play in Burlington, Iowa, in early October. If you fare well in those and then conference, then obviously the goal in the postseason is to make a run,” Robertson said. “So, the schedule is pretty loaded up and we’re ready to get it done.”