SHORELINE
The Shorewood boys soccer team is experiencing a renaissance of sorts this season.
Nothing could have exemplified that more than the 2-0 win over Shorecrest that broke a streak of eight years without a win against their crosstown rivals.
So what is different for the Thunderbirds this year?
“They’re holding each other accountable and thinking of ways to be even better,” Shorewood coach Mark Wisdom said.
“I think we’ve got talent on the team, teamwork on the team,” Wisdom said. “I think we’ve got guys that are committed to making the team better.”
That’s the mantra of the T-birds this season, teamwork.
“I think we’ve got a really good passing game. It seems last year there were a lot more independent players. We have a better team this year as a whole,” said junior midfielder Sam Olson, who scored both goals against Shorecrest.
The opposition has noticed as well.
“Shorewood is a lot better than last year,” Shorecrest coach Drew Thompson said.
Shorewood’s strength starts in the midfield with senior co-captains Alex Bresnan and Ciaran Regan in the center, and Olson and senior Colton Carr on the wings. Olson moved up from junior varsity and is making a big contribution as is Carr who is coming back from sprained right ankle.
The forward lineup includes junior Tim Aspinall, senior Piotr Pobudkiewicz and junior Safaa Al-Jelahawai.
The defense is led by senior Stefano Johnson, who played midfield last year but is filling in for senior John Weber, who should be back from a bout with mononucleosis soon. Junior Steve McGinley, junior Peter Odell and junior Stuart Schaefer are the other defenders.
In goal, the T-birds’ have the steady Dorian Lair who is back after breaking his ankle last year before the season. He also broke his cheekbone and hand playing club soccer but is healthy now.
Tim Hester, a wrestler who has played soccer before, turned out and is the backup keeper.
Bresnan and Johnson are the T-birds’ top returning scorers from a team that struggled to score last year.
“The offense is vastly improved, the defense is solid,” Wisdom said. “If we get an injury I can go to my deep bench because we don’t have a C team.”
C teams, made up of players who don’t make varsity or junior varsity, were cut by the district with School Board approval last summer for budget reasons.
In the past, Wisdom said he’d bring up players from JV or the C team if there was an injury.
“We don’t have that luxury this year,” Wisdom said. “We have to carry my injured reserves on the squad.”
The T-birds carry 22 players on varsity and 20 on JV.
But it’s a year of optimism for a young team.
“I think this year the guys are finally believing in themselves,” Wisdom said.
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