Aug. 25, 2005

Talented depth is a good problem to have for a coach and the Cowboy soccer team has it all over the field and are expecting big things in 2005.

The Cowboys return two players with superstar qualities. Junior forward David Salas is one of the top players in the conference and should make a serious push at All-American honors this season. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Shaughnessy is one of the top collegiate goalkeepers in the United States and is coming off a stellar summer for his club team.

It is the players around them that have gotten older, improved and worked hard to make the Cowboys one of the top contenders for the American Southwest Conference title.

Four former starters are back this season as Brad Barham, Ryan Flannigan and Bryan Staub did not play for the Cowboys last season for a variety of reasons and Tatenda Chieza missed the season with a knee injury. Not all are guaranteed their former starting positions, but it gives the Cowboys some added depth they lacked last year.

The Cowboys only lost two seniors from a year ago in Calvin Key and Kyle Rampy. The Cowboys played a lot of freshmen and sophomores a year a go and still advanced to the American Southwest Conference tournament semifinals.

For the Cowboys, it all starts with the defense and the 6-5 Shaughnessy is as good as anyone in the ASC in goal. He had a 1.25 goals against average last season. He will have to remain at his top level at least for a while as the Cowboys' season the two freshmen goalkeepers Chase Turner and Beau Surratt.

"Shaughnessy is big and athletic and goes to the ground well," said HSU Head Coach Dan Heger. "We will be better in front of him this year, but he has to be the leader for us and he relishes that role."

In front of him will be a strong defense. Barham and Chieza along with Andrew Kimmel will battle it out at sweeper. Barham was an all-region selection his first season with the Cowboys at sweeper.

On the outside back the Cowboys have seven guys battling for playing time and four are returning players. Junior Ricky Matthies (17 starts), sophomores Andrew Kimmel (12 games), Ben Lobaugh and Chewie Okoro (11 games) all got thrown into the fire as freshmen. They learned the job on the fly, but became very good as a unit towards the end of the year. Also pushing for time at the back will be freshmen Neil Almack, Tyler Allen and Andre Newcome.

"We had to put some young guys out there last year, but they got better and better as the year went on," said Heger. "Now they are back a year older and stronger and there is some talent coming back that was not here last year not only freshmen but players returning."

The midfield will likely be the strength of the team with talented veterans all across the board. Senior Chris Carroll is making the move to the middle after being in the back last season. He has played forward, defender and midfield in his Cowboy career. He will be on the outside along with Staub and freshmen Brandon Schell and Roberto Martinez.

Junior Nick Sager (eight goals and 19 starts) and sophomore Jacob Almack had solid seasons last season and will battle with Flanigan, Manuel Maldanado and freshmen Danny Oughton and Jeff Navarre for time in the middle.

On the outside senior Trevor Elza (two goals, three assists, 16 starts) will battle with Chris Key (who redshirted with a knee injury last season), freshmen J.T. Tredway and Roberto Martinez for playing time.

"We are going to be strong in the middle," Heger said. "Chris (Carroll) and Trevor (Elza) are seniors that have been through the wars. They are strong, physical kids that can do a lot of things. Ryan Flanigan and Bryan Staub are guys that have done it in the past and are back in school. Nick Sager had eight goals for us last season and Almack was solid as well. I am excited about the depth."

Up front the Cowboys will have three proven goal scorers. Link Scroggins is a transfer in from the University of Dallas and he will battle sophomore Drew Meilinger (three goals and three assists, nine starts), freshmen James Carr, Jarod Forrester and Keal Rasavage on one side and Daniel Arnold (six goals, four assists), Colt McKee and Nick Farmer will fight it out on the other side.

Salas will be the man in the middle for the Cowboys after an 11-goal, 6-assist season last year. He was a first-team All-ASC and an all-region selection.

"David is as good of player as there is in the region," said Heger. "He has the right work ethic and does whatever is needed for us to win. He has more help around him this year and I expect his goals and assist numbers both to go up."