After winning back-to-back conference championships before losing in the playoffs in the closing seconds of double overtime, the Aberdeen Central boys’ soccer team is coming into the season on a bit of a mission.
The Golden Eagles, who open their season today at Sturgis, are coming off a 12-win season and another Eastern South Dakota Conference title. However, Central fell on a free-kick goal with 30 seconds left in double OT in the second-round of the playoffs, its only home setback of the year.
“Last season was very successful,” said Central coach Lance Mohr said. “We won the conference and went in (to the playoffs)) as a really high seed. We didn’t quite finish like we wanted and I think part of that we can use to help provide additional motivation.”
The team will look a little different than last season after multiple seniors graduated.
“We have a lot of new faces this year with 12 seniors graduating. … But we have some guys coming back that were not only part of the team last year but the year before,” Mohr said. “We have a combination of experience and new faces. But it seems pretty obvious to me that there’s desire to get back to where they were.”
Some of the returning talent includes seniors Linus Johnson, Bryson Burgard, Gus Bjerknes and Koltin Swearingen.
“Those four guys have had experience at the varsity level, primarily over the last two and three years, and have been in the fold now a while,” Mohr said. “They’re back and now it’s just having those guys blend with some of the newer faces. The team obviously looks different because we have so many new faces, but it’s also kind of different and exciting in a good way.”
Have so many new players on the pitch, Mohr isn’t quite sure what the strength of his team will be this season.
“I’m curious. … What I think the strength will be sometimes doesn’t shake out because of the roles with this many newer players or different players,” Mohr said. “Some of their strengths you’re not really going to see until they actually get tested at the varsity level and then we’ll have to adapt. We have four or five really good players to build that core around, and then another good group of younger players.”
Despite the makeover in the starting lineup, Mohr still expects a lot from his team this year.
“Every year our goal is to win the ESD. That’s something that is really important. It’s something that we put a lot of time and attention into,” Mohr said. “Other than that, the season is a sprint and a marathon at the same time. When you have a lot of younger, newer players, it takes a little while for that cohesion to build. So, we’re going to try to get that accelerated as much as possible and get playing as strong as possible early. Hopefully we can get some really positive results to get us going and head us in the right direction.”
Central will have a chance to get off to a fast start when they play at Sturgis and Spearfish this weekend.
“I expect a good test. (Sturgis) had a good season last year. Finished seventh and had a shot at going through the semifinals,” Mohr said. “I think they’re going to provide a very good test. We’ll have them (today) and then have one following up at 10 a.m. on Saturday against Spearfish, who will have a good team ready to go as well. So, it’ll be a challenging weekend for us.”
While soccer is a physically demanding sport, the mental side of the game will be the focus for the Golden Eagles heading into the upcoming campaign.
“It’s just all about their mentality and application of training. Then being able to provide them the best challenge and show them as many problems as we can before the first game,” Mohr said. “But it’s all about their mentality and their approach to winning the game, competing at that level and showing the necessary intensity. Then in difficult moments, not getting too high, not getting too low. All of that mental approach is what’s going to set us apart.”
