St. Helens’ soccer season has come to an end, and although the team did not qualify for the state tournament, head coach Jim Cole is pleased with the team’s growth in his first season on the job.
“I think we did great. They have a lot of talent. We played the No. 2 team in the state and we were down by one point,” Cole said. “Overall, they did great. We have a good, solid team and are looking to be very good not only now but next year as well. We have some good returning players. There is.”
The team’s growth is evident from the improved performance from last year. In 2022, the Lions finished the season with 1 win, 12 losses, and 1 tie. St. Helens showed significant improvement this year, finishing the season with a 3-8-3 record, but had close games against some of the top teams in the state.
One such game was the one Cole alluded to, in which St. Helens narrowly lost to undefeated Tillamook on October 12, with the game decided on a last-minute penalty shootout.
One reason to be optimistic is a strong class of returning players that will ensure continuity for the team heading into next year.
“Zach Edwards, he’s an outstanding guy. Gerardo Gonzalez Meza, wow, that guy is just phenomenal. You can put him anywhere and he plays really well. Judge Stanton wasn’t a starter at first. “He’s grown a lot and become a solid defensive wall for us,” Cole said.
Another player Cole mentioned was sophomore defenseman Nick Reeder. Rieder entered the season as a midfielder, but Cole reassigned him to the defensive wing position, which suited Cole’s possession-oriented system better. Cole said both Stanton and Reeder were solid presences at the back end of the team.
“Leader has a very controlled nature. When he gets the ball, he can use his midfield skills to juke the ball and distribute the ball,” Cole said. “Both our wingers, Justice and Nick, have helped us distribute the ball as well as kick it out. That seems to be the situation with them the last few years.” We play more possession-oriented. From a maturity standpoint, these two played a very important role. ”
Adapting to new styles
This year, Cole adopted a new look for his team. Rather than kicking the ball out of their own half, Cole wanted his team to control the ball and advance up the field with short passes. While St. Helens has given up possession at times in the past, Cole said the team will have up to 70 per cent possession in some games this year.
Cole said the lack of experience showed at times during the season. Cole said the team could easily be higher up in the rankings with a little more sharpness, or a little better ball and call, he said.
“One different call or one little play different and we could easily be first or second,” Cole said.
Looking ahead to next year, Cole said knowing the players well will be a big bonus as a coach. He won’t have to spend the first half of the season getting to know the team, so he will be able to go into the season with a clear vision of what he wants the team to do.
One of Cole’s focuses this year was to ensure the team’s defensive approach. By focusing on midfield and defense, Cole was able to limit the number of goals his team leaked and turn a solid defense into better results.
“You can see the difference. Last year’s team scored 15 goals during the season, this year we scored 15 goals. The difference is last year they allowed 58 goals, while this year I mean we allowed 30 goals,” Cole said. “Our goal next year is to win 2-1 and flip-flop. We want to score more points.”
Cole went into this season knowing he wouldn’t be able to rebuild every element of his team, so overhauling the defense was the quickest solution to improving performance. This year, Cole will focus on offense and making sure he can put pressure on other teams on offense.
Players Cole is looking to step up next season include Pedro Ramirez Tapia, Finn Cole, Brian Ramirez, Carter Nelson and Midnight Daly.
One aspect Cole would like to see some improvement in next year is participation to allow for more squads to be fielded on game day. Cole said there were times during the season when he only had one substitute in a game while other teams had six substitutes on the bench. This low number led to mistakes due to tired legs and fatigue towards the end of the game.
Cole hopes they can get the numbers to improve their standings and that the team’s players train seriously so they can give their best at the end of the game.
“I tell them, ‘Look, you can’t control any God-given talent.’ What you can control is your drive. You can’t control your athleticism from a physical strength standpoint. It’s all in your control,” Cole said. “I want you to go out and give it your all. And at the end of the day, have fun. If you don’t have fun, what’s the point?”
Cole is excited about the team’s progress and has their sights set on the Cowapa League title next season, but hopes more of the community will come out to support the team next year.
“My hope is that the community starts to feel the love for soccer, the love for watching soccer. Come watch it, it’s a very dynamic game, there’s so much more to love,” Cole said. Told. “We would like to see more support from the community for attending games.”