The Greenbrier East boys soccer team last won the Class AAA Region 3, Section 2 title back in 2019. Since hoisting that championship plaque, the postseason has been nothing short of frustrating for the Spartans.
To make matters worse, the last two gut-wrenching sectional exits have come at the hands longtime rival Woodrow Wilson in shootouts.
The current group of seniors were freshman back in 2019 and this will be their last shot to bring home that elusive sectional crown.
“We just want to have fun and be sure that we are cherishing the moment with the people that we are around.” head coach Lucas Lemine said. “We also want to take advantage of the group that we have. This senior class is excellent.”
Lemine believes his team has struggled in the postseason the last two seasons because of fitness and he does not want that to be the case this year.
“The last couple of seasons we have had a technical approach to our practices and cut the majority of our fitness. This year has been completely different,” Lemine said. “We have put a distinct focus on our level of fitness. We are still working on some technical stuff and some tactical stuff, but really it has been about getting the kids in the kind of shape that will last into the (postseason).”
Midfielder Adam Seams was a freshman on the sectional winning team and he is back to lead the Spartans in his senior year.
Seams garnered first team all-state honors last year from the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association.
“We need Adam to continue to lead the team. That is what he has done all three of his seasons here. We haven’t talked about anything specific that we are asking him to do differently,” Lemine said. “We just need Adam to be Adam.”
What Lemine would like to see improve is some more leadership from the supporting cast of Spartans.
“We have put more responsibility on a couple of other players to be able to lead the group. We want to have a leader on each third of the field,” Lemine said. “Those guys need to be more vocal. We can’t ask Adam to yell across the whole field and I’m not going to do it from the sideline. We need the rest of the guys to do their job.”
Chase Mizia will be counted on to add more scoring punch for Greenbrier East this year. The senior forward is off to a hot start recording a hat trick in the season opener Saturday against Buckhannon-Upshur.
Seams and Dawson Trusty also added a goal and an assist in a 5-0 win over the Buccaneers.
“We tried to work really hard last year to get Chase comfortable finishing. He struggled a little bit last year, but he has matured this year,” Lemine said. “He has come in this year with the mindset that scoring is his job. He has to score goals for our team.”
Adding more firepower up top for East will be senior Luke Dolin and junior Carter Tolliver.
“Luke Dolin has to score goals. He has to be an individual that can create his own and he has the ability,” Lemine said. “Carter Tolliver is another kid that will play up top. He is not the fastest kid, but he is really good technically and understands the tactical side of the game as well. He has to be the trash guy and clean-up for us. We have never really had that and Carter has the ability.”
The difference maker this year for the Spartans could come on the back end.
“I think we may be a little better off defensively. In years past, we have had one, two or three extremely fast guys. We don’t have that this year,” Lemine said. “We are not as athletic as we were last year, but we have 13 guys that can play whatever position we ask them to.”
Lemine explained that while it’s always a team goal to make the state tournament, sectional opponents will be the key area to get the Spartans attention.
“We have to win the sectional games in the regular season, so we can get home field advantage (in sectional play),” Lemine said. “We have to win the section this year and then go give (George Washington) or Capital, who will be an exciting team this year, a run. We paint our own picture and we have to win the section this year.”
The first regular season clash with a sectional foe will happen in Fairlea Wednesday night when Greenbrier East hosts Oak Hill.
