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Senior Cole Arnold has demonstrated leadership qualities ahead of the 2022 season.
Senior Levi Sgaggero has demonstrated leadership qualities ahead of the 2022 season.
Senior Cole Arnold has demonstrated leadership qualities ahead of the 2022 season.
Senior Levi Sgaggero has demonstrated leadership qualities ahead of the 2022 season.
SHORT GAP, W.Va. (WV News) — The 2021 Frankfort boys’ soccer season was a good one. While the Falcons were tied and then beaten by Keyser for the first time in many years, Frankfort responded in a big way by beating Keyser 7-0 when it counted most, the sectional championship game.
Then the Falcons travelled to Fairmont Senior and for a time, played level with the Polar Bears, before ultimately succumbing late. But they knocked on the door, as they’ve been doing. With a heavy list of returning key contributors returning in 2022, there is every reason for optimism.
One good sign pointing to a productive season ahead is a productive offseason.
“I guess, in terms of winter, less kids are playing indoor now than previously, and I think it’s because we’re getting over COVID. But some kids have still played some ball here and there. But spring has been good,” Frankfort coach Patrick Brett stated.
“The three weeks were good. A lot of kids turned out in June, and then we did flex days in July. And so, we’re as prepared as we’ve ever been as a group,” Brett explained. “We have 21 players. I like 22, because then I have two players for every position, but 21 is okay.”
The roster is a mix of youth and experience, with, like last year, still a heavy emphasis on the youth.
According to Brett, “I think we’re still a little young. The major bulk of the group are sophomores, which bodes really well for the future. It will make us still a little young this year. We won’t come to full fruition as a group maybe for a year or two. But we’ll certainly be stronger than last year,” Brett explained.
The bulk of the roster is young, but experienced.
“The experience the young players got last year will pay dividends down the line. But, obviously, when you’ve got freshmen and sophomores playing against big schools, with nine, 10 or 12 seniors, the physical difference is telling, Brett stated.
“But, we’re building something. I think that in a year or two years, this will be a really strong program. We’re a fairly strong program now,” Brett detailed.”
Seniors Cole Arnold and Levi Sgaggero have risen to the occasion, in a leadership role specifically, in the off-season.
“Well, Cole Arnold and Levi Sgaggero have really led the kids in the off season, gathering kids for early morning sessions. They’ve taken over a captain’s role in a way that I really didn’t envision that they would,” Brett detailed.
According to Brett, “They have organized early morning stuff on their own where they basically have ran and really put the work in as seniors to say we want to make this senior year really count.”
“Obviously, we also have many talented youngsters like Hayden Whetsel, Carson Adams, and a few others. But, because of that, these seniors for the first time, have stepped up to take the lead. And I’m very happy about that,” Brett explained.
One key move has come at the goalie position.
“I have also been able to release Stephen Shambaugh out of goal, because Jake Layton stepped up. That gives me size and strength in the field,” Brett stated.
In terms of a schedule, the Falcons have added some regional teams, and in doing so, upped the level of difficulty. That’s something they hope will pay dividends.
“The schedule is different. We’ve got more games on the slate even though we lost a couple of games. We’re playing Fort Hill this year, didn’t play them before. We’re playing Southern this year, didn’t play them before. We’re playing Preston this year, we didn’t play them before. We’re playing Calvary this year, we didn’t play them before,” Brett detailed.
According to Brett, “It’s a tougher schedule this year by a long way.”
“I like the fact that we’ll be more battle tested. Also, we tend to play now more games away on turf, whereas before we only had a few. So, when we went into the playoffs, we weren’t really ready on it,” Brett stated. “But now, we will be, because we go to turf grounds more. That prepares us for the playoffs.”
As for goals for the Falcons in 2022, they are many.
“First of all, we want to have a winning season, that’s always my first goal. My second goal is to try and win a trophy, be it the PVC, the Potomac Highlands Cup, the section. My third goal is to try and win the section, the region, and of course to get to state,” Brett explained.
According to Brett, “My sense is that we’ve been almost there with respect to competing with the Fairmont schools. I think we’re, I would say, equal to East Fairmont now. It could go either way against East Fairmont. Fairmont Senior is a little bit ahead of us, purely because of the size of the school.”
“But, I think we’re getting closer, and I am very, very confident, that if they are still in our region in a year or two, we’ll be ready to beat them.”
This story originally appeared in the Aug. 12, 2022, Mineral News.
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