Allentown boys team showing improvement

BY GEORGE ALBANO
Staff Writer

JERRY WOLKOWITZ Allentown tri-captain Trevor Provost is back to lead an experienced Redbirds team that is looking to return to the state playoffs after a one-year absence.

It certainly didn’t take the Allentown High School boys soccer team very long to show improvement from last year.

The Redbirds, who began last season 0-5, won their 2003 season opener, 1-0, over Manchester High. That was followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss to Hopewell and a 1-1 tie against Florence on Monday afternoon, giving the Allentown booters a 1-1-1 record heading into Tuesday’s game at Trenton High School.

"We could’ve been 3-0," head coach Joe Stanzione said.

Not bad, considering the Redbirds won only four games all of last season, when they went 4-14. Although, Stanzione says the final record was a bit deceiving.

"Record-wise it was not great," the fifth-year coach said, "but soccer-wise we played well. We just play in such a tough league, the Colonial Valley Conference. We face a lot of big schools, and all of the competition is a little more populated. They have more numbers to choose from on the other side of the ball."

But Stanzione has some numbers to choose from this year, especially returning players who gained valuable experience playing as underclassmen a year ago.

"We have a lot of kids back," he said. "We had quite a few young guys last year, but eight starters are back, so we should be a little bit more experienced this season."

It has already shown in the first three games, and Stanzione hopes it continues as he tries to lead the Redbirds back to the state tournament after a one-year absence.

"We would like to make the state tournament again, and I think we should if we play our game," he said.

One of the key returnees is senior tri-captain David Nicholson, who is back at sweeper, where he anchors the Redbirds’ defense.

"He’s a very good athlete and an excellent player," Stanzione said. "He’s also a good leader and adds a lot to the team. Without him, it would be difficult to win games."

Another key starter back is senior midfielder Trevor Provost, one of the other tri-captains.

"He’s a strong defender who wins a lot of balls at midfield," Stanzione said of Provost, who scored the Redbirds’ lone goal in the overtime loss to Hopewell. "He has good vision on the field and good skills with the ball. And as a leader, he gets the energy on the team going."

The third captain is junior Kent Seber, a 5-foot 6-inch back, who Stanzione says is tough as nails.

"He’s a pretty tenacious player," the Allentown coach noted. "He’s a small guy, but he’s not afraid to mix it up on defense. He’s a good competitor and a good example for others on the team to follow."

Two more seniors who started last year are back Chris Schulz and forward Steve Gorfman, who scored two of the Redbirds’ first three goals this season.

Kyle Erny and Matt Grinkevich, a pair of junior midfielders, also started last season, as did sophomore forward Cody Conk, who broke into the lineup as a freshman.

There’s also a freshman in this year’s starting lineup with Ryan Provost, Trevor’s younger brother, getting the nod in goal and posting a shutout in his varsity debut against Manchester.

"He’s very good," Stanzione said. "He’s an excellent goalie and he’s only going to get better."

Rounding out the starting lineup are senior midfielder Brendan Roth, who saw some action coming off the bench last season, and junior Cameron Grant, another midfielder, who played with the junior varsity a year ago.

"The key for us this season is we have to take forward steps, not backward steps," Stanzione said. "We have to have good vision, good feet and quality defense."

So far, the Redbirds have shown all three.