With 14 seniors, including three with all-Bay Conference honors, the Shawano Community High School boys soccer team is poised to have a big season.
The Hawks, who went 8-9 and finished fourth in the Bay Conference (5-5) last year, are loaded with experience.
“I have a lot of talented people,” Shawano coach Bob Croschere said. “The situation this year is that I don’t have enough room for all the players that could be varsity level. The junior varsity team should be pretty good.”
Certain to be back on varsity are seniors Garret Schlise, Sawyer Buck and Zach Dickmann.
Schlise is a two-time first-team all-conference selection who is penciled in to play forward.
“Garret the last few years has been top-five scoring in conference,” Croschere said. “I’m looking for big things from him again.”
Dickmann, an all-conference honorable mention from a season ago, also plays forward.
Sawyer Buck, a second-team all-conference selection last year, will move to defense to try to fill the loss of graduated seniors Chris Berg, Matt Horne and all-conference honorable mention Matt Koehler.
The Hawks have only one returning defender in junior Zach Walterman.
The other spot is likely to be filled by Zach Sousek, who played football last fall but switched to soccer this year.
“I think the defense is going to be solid, but we’re going to have to see how good it is actually going to be,” Croschere said.
The Hawks will have senior Mike Meisner in the goal. He tied with Marinette’s Austin Jensen for third most saves in the Bay Conference last season with 57.
“Meisner was solid last year,” Croschere said.
Also back and likely to get minutes are Chance VanDyck, Austin Steinback and Ben Marquardt.
With so many returning players, Croschere expects the team to come together quickly.
“We’re a little inexperienced with playing together, but this senior class — we have 14 of them — they’ve been playing together for four years,” he said. “So I’m looking for the team to gel fairly quick.”
Croschere said his goal every year is to win the conference. Seymour is the defending champion.
The Hawks begin their season at home Tuesday against Freedom and open conference play Sept. 5 at New London.
In the postseason, Shawano will compete in the Division 2 tourney. The Hawks dropped down a division when the WIAA went from three to four divisions, which are based on enrollment.
“We went to Division 2, which will be helpful competition-wise,” Croschere said. “We won’t have to face the Bay Ports or anything like that anymore. … We’ll see what happens with the playoff situation.”
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