Dolphins looking for goal scorers
Savage has 13 seniors on team that lost in regional final last year
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

While the Marines may be looking for a few good men, GBHS boys soccer coach Bruce Savage is looking for a few good goal scorers.

Entering his ninth year as coach, Savage lost his leading scorer Cory Gibson to graduation. Gibson, who's now playing at Jacksonville University, tied a school record with 33 goals last season after scoring only three the year before.

"We don't need a Cory Gibson, but I'd like one," said Savage, whose Dolphin squad opens the regular season at Washington Tuesday. The Dolphins, who had six returning starters, played Choctaw and Niceville in a Preseason Classic this week in Niceville.

"We've got 13 seniors, so that's a positive thing," Savage said.

One of them, Kyle Losoya, will anchor the defense in front of fellow senior, keeper Richard Benson. Juniors Christian Mauldwin and Daniel Shull also also play in the back.

"It's basically the same lineup we had last year," Savage said. "Defensively, we should be real strong."

The midfield will include seniors Stuart Parks, Josh Pagonis, Tommy Gibble, Josh Ceravolo, Chris Wilson and Rafael Martins, an exchange student from Brazil. Martins is currently battling a knee injury.

Senior Brad Parrish, who played primarily in the back last year, will be up top at forward this year, along with Leland Davis. Savage will field a 3-5-2 formation, but says it can change (4-4-2, 3-4-3, etc.) defending on the field and the opponent.

Senior Jeff Lanza and junior Nick Malloy will also play forward, while sophomore Jack Begley and juniors Jesse Ortiz, Thomas Farmer and Hunter Hickman, a transfer from Birmingham, can see time in the midfield.

Seniors Austin Santiago and Ben Parrish, along with junior Scott Jaffe will play on defense, while the trio of sophomores Tyler Willets, Hayes Sperry and Alex Crush will vie for time in goal.

The three keepers will rotate between varsity and JV, along with juniors Jason Lambert and Alex Colston.

Savage can carry as many as 25, but will dress 22.

The schedule the Dolphins will face is the toughest schedule ever, according to Savage. "We've definitely amped it up a little bit," Savage said.

Including the two preseason games (and not including the Admiral Tournament in Tampa), the Dolphins, the reigning 1-4A regional runners up will play 14 matches (out of 24) against teams that made the postseason a year ago.

Leading that group is defending 4A state champion Nease. Also on the Dolphin schedule - Niceville (a 5A state semifinalist), Leon (who lost to Niceville in the regional final) and a pair of regional semifinalists - Washington and Catholic.

And that list doesn't include Navarre, who Savage says "is going to be very good."

The 22-member junior varsity squad, who will be called upon next year to fill the holes left by the 13 seniors, will be accompanying the varsity on trips to Tallahassee (vs. Leon and Lincoln Dec. 7-8) and to Jacksonville (vs. Nease and Bolles Dec. 14-15).

"We're going to need someone to step up," Savage said.

Andrew Davis, who recently had foot surgery, will have pins taken out of that foot this week. Josh Epstein will be out until early December with a knee injury.