So, let’s see, it has now been 4 weeks since the last Memorial game. I am feeling a little better now. I have had the chance to talk to a few friends about the game and have shared the game flow with a few soccer friends. I can discuss it now without as much frustration but it still does amaze me how Arrowhead scored 4 goals. A weird game for sure. I am still convinced we were the better side and still filled with pride for a really high quality team who had a great season.
All-Conference/All-State Teams
So…let’s reflect on the season a bit more. When you have a season like Memorial, you are bound to have some players recognized for their season during the year-end season awards. Here is a review of the All-Conference Teams. Memorial had 8 players recognized on the teams including 3 of the Top 4 players. Rice Lake had 7 recognized and made a deep run into the Playoffs for Division 3, no surprise with that quality. A little surprised Hudson with only 5 after finishing second in conference. But watch out for Hudson the next two years, they placed 3 Sophomores on the teams and the leading candidate for Player of the Year next year in Kolton Prater.
First Team
Memorial: Jack Longville (Player of the Year), Will Orser, Owen Jolley, Bryce Burlingame, Tyler Hanson (jr) Hudson: Kolton Prater (so), Nick Thompson (so) Chippewa Falls: Jordan Faschingbauer, Cole Oliver Rice Lake: Brandon Hover North: Braden Pick
Second Team
Memorial: Cooper Lyons, Matthew Martinez Hudson: Thomas Laraia, Santi Vergara Rice Lake: Logan Severson (jr), Karl Linton (jr), Jacob Tomesh North: Logan Podolak (jr) River Falls: Karl Linton (jr), Connor Weinzirl (jr) Menomonie: Nate Frank
Honorable Mention:
Memorial: Simon Larson Hudson: Cole Ober (so) Rice Lake: Ben Neufeld, Michael Birhle (jr), Seth Kurzynski North: Lushi Xiong (so) River Falls: Josh Linton (fr) Menomonie: Adam Wilson (jr) Chippewa Falls: Lucas Connolly, Eric Otteveare (jr)
All-State Recognition:
Memorial: Jack Longville First Team, Own Jolley Honorable Mention, Will Orser Honorable Mention Hudson: Kolton Prater Honorable Mention
Surprises: Memorial’s Luke Rosenberger and Jacob Peloquin did not get 2nd Team or Honorable Mention. Thought they deserved it. Might have been a victim of so many other Memorial players on the teams.
On a side note, Whitefish Bay who went undefeated and won State Division 2 and was ranked ion the Top 10 in the nation had 4 players named First Team All-State. Wow–what a team!
A Look Ahead: 2018 Way Too Early Projections
Big Rivers. So I am going out on a limb here…I mean a huge reach here…I predict it will be a two-horse race next year between Hudson and Memorial for the Big Rivers Conference Crown. Okay, even you would have predicted that. They have won the majority of the Championships over the past 10 years and it feels like Chippewa Falls may be in the rebuilding mode for a few years. Rice Lake has a nice foundation with three juniors on the team but loses their strong GK and will need to find a replacement. North returns a strong Midfield, but where will North find scoring? River Falls had 3 underclassmen selected and will try to build around them. Menomonie continues to build their program in search of a competitive Big Rivers season. If you look at the All-Conference teams for some clues to the best team, Hudson returns 3 sophomores. That is a pretty solid foundation to build from. Memorial returns 2 Juniors who made the team, not bad, especially given their strong senior class. I would give Hudson the slight edge, but really like the fact that Memorial has an All-Conference GK returning in net for 2018. Tyler Hanson will be huge in keeping Memorial in the hunt next season.
Memorial: We Don’t Rebuild…We Reload
So, how do you replace Memorials’ Senior class….the Conference Player of the Year and All-State selection, 2 All-State HM players, and 6 players who made All-Conference Teams. Memorial loses 73% of their goals with the graduating Seniors. Probably over 80% of their assists. 7 Senior Starters and more importantly, the leadership from 9 Seniors who were part of the program for 4 years.
That is a big task. Let’s discuss. So what does the team look like next year. Some early projections for the Starting XI.
Confident Choices. GK: Tyler Hanson, Center Back: Simon Larson, Left Winger: Luke Rosenberger, Forward: Jacob Peloquin
Pretty Confident Choices. Center Back: Logan Junker, Midfield: Alex Sulzer, Right Winger: Mitch Brenner
Good Chance but need to Continue to develop over the next year. Fullback: Dalton Christopherson, Midfield: Will Hayes
Last Two Starters are up for grabs with no obvious answers: Maybe Lucas Zumwalt at Right Winger and Brenner moves into Attacking Midfield spot? Maybe Ryder Woodworth jumps into a starting role as a fullback? Maybe Sulzer drops back into a Fullback spot and opens up a Midfield spot. Maybe a sleeper or a surprise starter. Other players in the mix for significant minutes or starter roles: Carlos Verduzco, Jacob Harmson, Jacob Hartkmeyer.
Still some interesting questions to be answered. Which of the JV Players make the jump to Varsity and earn a spot starting or earn significant minutes? Who will jump into the mix with a big year of growth and development: JV Captains Connor Stadnyk, Will Hartman, Evan Smith? Will an incoming Freshman make Varsity? It’s pretty wide open and every player on the team has an opportunity to take a spot and earn minutes. Likely they carry 18-20 on varsity and that means 5-7 players have a chance to earn their spot. Work hard boys! Plenty of talent, great scoring options, some versatile midfielders, some strong defenders, an All-Conference GK. It’s all there, it will just be more of a process than last year when the entire team was returning. Go Abes!