Daviess County enters as the five-time defending 9th District champions, but the opposition is surging and could make 2019 one of the most competitive races for the title in recent years. With the season set to kick off Monday, each team is ready to make an early statement and start off strong.
The Panthers lost a handful of their most talented players to graduation, but they’ve still got plenty of experience on the roster. As a perennial contender, they’ve got the tools in place to compete again this year.
The Red Devils’ expectations are set high with a class of 10 seniors. After falling to Daviess County in both the district and region title games last year, Owensboro is looking to capitalize and take the next step.
For the Eagles, the combination of a deep bench, versatile players and a strong senior class will be the key to closing the gap and proving they are a legitimate threat to compete for a championship.
The Aces have a few key returning players but will again be using a handful of underclassmen as they continue to rebuild. With some veteran leadership, though, they could be contenders at season’s end.
See below for bios on each team. Keep up with our coverage throughout the year by following us on Twitter @OwensboroSports, liking us on Facebook and checking online for daily results.
Daviess County
Daviess County will be looking to defend their district and region titles from 2019. Last year, they were able to capitalize on the stellar play of Brian Winkler and his fellow seniors, but the Panthers will have to fill that void in order to repeat.
The losses leave Daviess County with a young team comparatively, but a solid core of upper-classmen still remain to lead the Panthers. Head coach Doug Sandifer is hoping for a sixth consecutive district title and a chance to represent the 3rd Region in the state tournament once again.
“Jacob Boling is our most experienced player,” Sandifer said. “Having been a part of the varsity since his freshman year, he — along with Tyler Mitchell, Tylen Terry, Hunter Clark and Declan Armistead — bring the most game minutes from previous seasons.”
Hayden Glover, Bay La and Carson Thomas return as well, while Tanner Andersen and Carter Hoagland will be asked to contribute in a bigger way. Having graduated both of his starting center backs, Sandifer is particularly focusing on solidifying a talented young back line in the earliest parts of the season.
“We will need to be solid defensively,” Sandifer said. “Kids will need to understand their role and play that role effectively for us to be successful.”
Owensboro
Owensboro is looking to finally break through and win a 9th District title after a solid run last season that ended with 16 total wins. With 10 seniors, head coach Ryan Haley hopes the leadership and experience from this squad will have what it takes to make a deep postseason run.
Of the Red Devils’ returning players, Haley says he believes sophomore Josh Head will be of particular importance. With the graduation loss of Austin Sovar — who was directly involved in 31 goals last year — there are plenty of scoring opportunities for Owensboro strikers.
Haley said if Head and others can find ways to score, the Red Devils’ season promises to be a successful one with a close-knit group of players.
“We have a very talented group of kids that are very hungry for a special season,” Haley said. “As a coach and teacher, I have had the opportunity to be in most of their lives since they were in 5th grade. Personally, I would like nothing more than for these boys to achieve their goals for 2019.”
When describing how he believes his team can achieve their lofty goals, Haley said put it simply: leadership.
“Leadership is the key to success for our team this season,” Haley said. “In my opinion, it’s player leadership that can put us on track to meeting our goals in 2019.”
Apollo
Head coach Ryan Poirer’s Eagles will be headlined by a strong senior class, along with two returning All-District selections in junior Harrison Bowman and senior Yo Shi Ya. Apollo also expects to have a litany of talented underclassmen to rely upon for depth off the bench.
Poirer identified his team’s unusual sense of versatility as a feather in their cap and one of the strengths this season.
“I think our versatility is a big strength,” he said. “We have so many guys that can play multiple positions. It is nice as a coach to know I can move guys around to different spots, or play different formations, and not skip a beat.”
Poirer said the main goals of the season is to be competitive when postseason play begins.
“Our goal for this season is to just build, week by week, on getting better and improving as a team,” he said. “The season is long and we have put together a tough schedule, one that will push us every time we step out on the field. We want to be really firing on all cylinders once we get close to district tournament time.”
Owensboro Catholic
Head coach Andy Donohoe and his team-first approach has him hopeful that a unique blend of underclassmen and upperclassmen can allow the Aces to gel in a way that keeps them competitive throughout the season.
“For me, I want to see the progression and development of each athlete to see them enjoy the sport,” Donohoe said. “If we can develop players who love the sport, then we have done something with long-term development in mind.”
After using a relatively inexperienced lineup last year, Catholic will have several key returning players for 2019. Seniors Jack Bach, Joe Fusco, Evan Goetz, Cole Blandford, Caleb Ranello and Luke Payne will play particularly important roles.
Donohoe and his senior group have been working to implement new programs off the field in hopes that they can compete more closely together in games.
“We have introduced a lot of off-field elements to help the on-field performances,” Donohoe said. “Ultimately, the focus on development will hopefully aid the development of critical-thinking players who will be prepared for this season and future seasons.”
