Youthful UMaine men rely on ferocity, balance

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ORONO – You have just become the head coach of a Division I men’s soccer team.

The team went 2-12-1 the previous year and players who scored 16 of the team’s 18 goals have graduated. Ten of the 14 lettermen have departed.

Not surprisingly, your team has been selected to finish a distant 10th in a 10-team league (America East).

Welcome to Travers Evans’ world.

The deck is stacked against Evans but the first-year University of Maine men’s coach isn’t concerned about the cards he has been dealt and the scholarship inferiority that has become an unfortunate way of life in Orono.

“Things are coming together pretty well. We’ve got a lot of young players but they’re talented and it will be a matter of how quickly can they pick things up,” said Evans.

Evans has strength and experience up the middle in senior center midfielder Russell Hutchison and center fullbacks Jason Skilling, a senior from Gray, and Scott Showalter, a sophomore.

But how is he going to replace Ricky Brown’s seven goals and five assists and Aaron Benjamin’s eight goals and assist?

“We’ll have a lot more balance among our attacking players. We’ve got a lot of dangerous attackers,” said Evans. “We have more people who can score goals. We won’t have to rely on just two.

“We will defend with ferocity and we’ll also attack with ferocity,” promised Evans.

Headlining the list of newcomers will be fullbacks Eric Lemont of Brunswick, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Maine last fall, and Matt Young; midfielders Greg Bajek, Tony Stack and Justin Woycke; striker Rob Dow and striker-midfielder Chris O’Connor.

Another freshman, outside midfielder Keith Moore, has been slowed by a case of mononucleosis.

In addition to the talent possessed by the newcomers, Evans said, “They’re all mentally tough kids who are willing to compete for positions. There’s no room for complacency. Everyone is fighting for spots.”

East Harpswell’s Jack Rioux, a sophomore wing fullback, sophomore midfielders Mike Manfre and Luke Garner, and sophomore striker Andrew Mayer all saw limited service last year. Manfre appeared in 12 games will the other three appeared in no more than three games.

Junior goalie Matt Cosgriff played in three games a year ago and Mike Brenneman, also a junior, didn’t see any playing time.

Cosgriff said the Bears have several positives working for them including the element of surprise.

“Nobody expects us to do well at all. But we’re expecting to make every game a battle and we’re going to steal some games,” said Cosgriff. “We expect a lot more from ourselves than we have in past years.”

Evans said, “We’re going into games thinking we’re going to win. There isn’t any team on our schedule that we won’t have a legitimate chance to beat. If we all work hard and play within the system, we’re going to win some games.”

The Bears open the season in the University of Rhode Island Tournament against Providence College on Sept. 1. Maine’s home opener is Sept. 6 against Sacred Heart (Conn.).

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Men’s Soccer Schedule AUGUST

26, UMass-Lowell, at Brunswick (exhib.) 5 p.m. SEPTEMBER

1, vs. Providence*, at Kingston, R.I. 5:30 p.m.

3, vs. Siena*, at Kingston, R.I. noon

6, Sacred Heart 3 p.m.

9, Massachusetts noon

16, Rhode Island 11 a.m.

30, at New Hampshire 2 p.m. OCTOBER

3, Holy Cross, at Portland 7 p.m.

6, Northeastern 3 p.m.

8, Boston University 1 p.m.

13, at Hartford 7 p.m.

15, at Vermont 1 p.m.

20, Delaware 3 p.m.

22, Towson noon

27, at Hofstra TBA

29, at Drexel 1 p.m. NOVEMBER

1, Harvard, at Falmouth 7 p.m.

3, America East semifinals

5, America East final *-at University of Rhode Island Tournament