LAURINBURG — Monday night’s match against South View provided a brief glimpse of what Scotland’s varsity boys soccer team looks like this year season under second-year head coach Blake Dickerson.
In one 40-minute half of action, Scotland took a 1-0 lead and moved the ball more aggressively and crisply than it did last season. The second half was moved to a later date after two consecutive 30-minute lightning delays halted the game.
Dickerson said the team’s success on Monday night was the result of hard work in the offseason.
“We’re really focusing on staying comfortable on the ball,” Dickerson said. “We’re focusing on getting our heads up and not freaking out when the ball is at our feet, especially with our defenders.
“Communication is a big thing,” he added. “We’ve been focusing a lot on that.”
The Fighting Scots were left with no returners on defense after graduating an 11-member senior class last season. But this year’s team has bonded well, and Dickerson said that’s one of the group’s biggest strengths.
“They feel like they’re one big team this year,” Dickerson said.
The Scots have another large group of seniors this season. Two of the team’s 10 seniors, forward Adolfo Duran and midfielder/forward Danny Reyes, connected on Scotland’s goal against South View. With about 17 minutes left in the first half, Reyes scored a goal off a corner kick by Duran.
Duran is the team’s top returner. He scored a team-high 7 goals last season as the Scots finished with a 3-16 record.
The varsity roster features many players with varsity games under their belt, but there’s also a some newcomers with little soccer experience.
“I’m never going to say no to a player who wants to come out and play,” Dickerson said. “If you’re athletic and I feel like you could do it, I’ll give you a shot. There are a couple new faces I got. I got a defender who’s never played soccer before, but he can pick up some of the nuances, some of the keys after a week or two. … (The newcomers) are bringing a lot of athleticism. That’s the big thing.”
In addition to the game against South View, Scotland’s non-conference slate consists of two matchups apiece against Gray’s Creek, Union Pines and West Bladen, as well as one game against West Columbus.
Scotland’s first Sandhills Athletic Conference match is at Jack Britt on Sept. 4. Pinecrest won the conference last season. Hoke and Richmond were knotted up in second place after both finished with 10-4 records in league play.
Monday night’s game was a step in the right direction, but Dickerson knows there is still plenty of work to be done in the early stages of the season. One big area the Scots are working on is ball control.
“A quality first touch sets you up for your entire possession, whether you’re looking for a pass or a run downfield,” Dickerson said. “Having that quality first touch lets you get your head up and get that time to find a good pass.”
