2/1/07
Looking Ahead: Dorman
By Mike Loveday, StudentSportsSoccer.com Staff
When a state champion loses six players and all three of its captains, the next season could present interesting challenges and for Dorman (S.C.) and head coach Josef Lorenz an opportunity to try new things.
With his leaders from last year's 21-3 state title winning team graduated, Lorenz is taking the opportunity to appoint a captain from each class to lead the team.
"We are a pretty young team this year. It's going to be important that the team unites," Lorenz said. "The freshman, sophomores and juniors are apart of this."
Lorenz welcomes 11 freshmen onto this season's team, which returns seven starters. Only one senior dots the starting lineup with the remainder being sophomores and juniors.
While the possibility of naming captain's for each class is out there, Lorenz is still looking toward his experienced players to fill the voids that the graduated captains left.
Alex Congrone and Nathalie Emplit provide experience to a young roster.
Congrone holds down the defense and is an excellent one-on-one tackler.
Emplit is an All-State attacker and the type of player who constantly works to improve.
"She's the most creative player I've ever coached," Lorenz said of Emplit. "She does things you never thought she'd try to do. Her arsenal is so big and different."
Dorman begins the season as South Carolina's Class 4A preseason No. 1 team, and with that ranking comes a target for all opponents to attempt to hit.
"We need to be prepared," Lorenz said.
Dorman needs to prepare for what is a difficult schedule that begins in the preseason with games against the 3A top-ranked team, Riverside, and the 2A No. 1 Bishop England.
Lorenz said the tough schedule will help the team once they reach the state playoffs.
