Shorthanded St. Mary’s boys’ soccer team gets help from afar
Gregg Braha and the St. Mary’s boys’ soccer team welcomed help from far and wide after an offseason exodus.
The Pirates lost a total of 16 players from last year’s squad that went 9-6-2 and won a game in the state playoffs. A dozen seniors moved on after graduating, including the starting back line and goalkeeper. Two foreign-exchange students returned home, one kid moved after his military dad was transferred and another student decided to spend the year in an exchange program in Argentina. Both of the unexpected losses were players in line to replace goalkeeper Gabe Calhoun, who’s now on the roster at Division I Virginia Military Institute.
“We had 26, so we were down to 10,” Braha said.
Three freshmen came out in the fall to provide a full team and a couple subs, but more bodies were needed. A couple field players, David Simmons and Ayden Hernandez, transitioned to goalkeepers in hopes of having a larger role on the team.
““He literally did this,” Braha said raising his hand before assuming Simmons’ voice. “‘Would it help if I volunteered to do this?’ And I said, ‘How badly do you want to get on the pitch.’”
Fortunately for Braha and the Pirates, St. Mary’s gets its fair share of exchange students and at least three have joined the team with a couple more possible additions to get the roster above 20.
Daniel Panera, who the boys call Dani, is a junior from Spain.
“It is too hard to breathe good,” Panera said, referring to Colorado’s altitude.
Once he catches his breath, he could be a contributor for the Pirates.
“You can tell he’s played before,” senior midfielder Sam Wahl said.
“I think he’ll be in our starting lineup. He should be a big help.”
Freshmen Paul Kim and Tom Cai come from South Korea and China, respectively.
“Actually I want to be (a) main player this year,” Kim said. “Maybe it will be hard.”
“I want to be a better player and up my skills,” Cai added.
All three arrived in the States a couple of weeks ago.
It’s certainly been an adjustment for all parties involved, especially for the three seniors who have won a game in all three previous trips to the playoffs. A fourth-straight trip is far from guaranteed.
“This year it’s different,” midfield Wyatt Barton said. “The last three years, it’s been an expectation. That’s minimum. This year, it is a goal, definitely. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but that’s where we’re shooting for now.”
Barton, Wahl and fellow senior Owen Nelson will hold down the midfield, a rare spot of returning experience.
“We have so much experience playing together since freshman year,” Barton said. “I’ve grown up with these guys, and we’ve played constantly since then. We’re really strong in midfield, and we kinda build from there.”
The trio combined to produce 15 goals and 15 assists last year, led by Barton’s eight goals and seven assists, and will be relied upon as leaders.
“I’m kinda used to looking up to people and now it’s like, ‘Oh, I need to be a leader to these new people.’ I need to make sure they know what they’re doing, what their role is on the team and stuff like that,” Nelson said. “I know Wyatt and Sam are really good at doing that, but I need to make sure I’m doing my part.”
Despite the high turnover, Braha said a couple of preseason scrimmages went rather well. The Pirates will see how far they’ve come Saturday when they open the season at Pueblo South, a team that went 2-13 last year. The Pirates beat the Colts 6-0 last year, and if a similar result opens this season, it might be a chance to see what kind of help the internationals can bring.
Even if they don’t factor much on the field, the St. Mary’s coach and players believe there’s a benefit.
“We seem to always have some exchange students. They always help out, even if they’re new,” Wahl said.”
“There’s absolute value to it,” Braha added. “These boys are really accepting and really good about inclusivity. They will just take kids under their wings, and they’ll root for them.”
St. Mary’s senior Owen Nelson ties his shoes before soccer practice Wednesday at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs. Nelson is one of three seniors on the team.
St. Mary’s junior Daniel Panera kicks the ball during soccer practice on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Panera is one of three foreign exchange students that joined the team this year. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
Players on the St. Mary’s boys’ soccer team warm up during soccer practice on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
St. Mary’s boys’ soccer players practice Wednesday at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs.
St. Mary’s junior Daniel Panera kicks the ball during soccer practice on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Panera is one of three foreign exchange students that joined the team this year. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
St. Mary’s senior Owen Nelson ties his shoes before soccer practice Wednesday at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs. Nelson is one of three seniors on the team.
St. Mary’s boys’ soccer players practice Wednesday at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs.
Players on the St. Mary’s boys’ soccer team warm up during soccer practice on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the Grace Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
