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Sports

Lakers Boys Soccer Team Off to Quick Start

New coach Jason Clark said he is confident the West Bloomfield High School team's offense will help them go far this season.

Spend a few minutes watching the varsity boys soccer team and it’s easy to see why head coach Jason Clark coveted the job back in January.

The Lakers can move the ball up the field quickly on offense. They are very athletic group of kids that isn’t lacking any technical skills. The team is also a mixture of seniors and underclassman, boding well for future seasons.

Clark has coached the Lakers varsity girls team for the past three seasons. He knew what kind of roster the boys would have in 2011 so he was happy to take on the added responsibility.

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“That’s why I was excited coming in,” Clark said. “We have three sophomores starting, we’re starting a freshman and it’s great because they can learn from all the talented seniors here.” 

His first year is off to a great start so far. West Bloomfield's record stands at 5-1-1 (1-0-1 Oakland Activities Association Blue) after a blowout, 8-0 win over Hazel Park High School on Tuesday night. Last weekend, it won three games to take home first place at the Elk Rapids tournament.

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Last year, the Lakers finished 8-11 and lost in the first round of districts to White Lake Lakeland 2-0. Clark said he believes his team has a chance to go further in the tournament this season with an offense that can keep up with anybody on their schedule in large part thanks to their roster. 

Clark called forward Mark Shaona his “most dangerous player.” The senior is very fast and has some quick moves that make him a threat to score anywhere around the net. He will set the tone for the Lakers this season like he did in the season opener when he scored two goals.

Helping set the offense up are three solid midfielders Nick Asker, Joe Rosenthal and Ryan Stern. Clark game plan is to stay aggressive and those three will be responsible for keeping the pressure on opposing defenses.

“We are definitely a high pressure offense,” Clark said. “Attacking out of the back is our main goal, getting those midfielders forward. That’s where we are most dangerous.”

Fitness was a priority throughout the offense to make sure the players would be ready to handle the tempo of the offense.

One position battle to watch as the season goes is on the opposite side of the field. Clark has two players competing for time at goaltender. Freshman Mitchell Hotz and junior Justin Wennigar will get playing time defending the net.  

Hotz is doing a nice job of handling the pressure as a freshman, but both are playing well. 

Coming up on West Bloomfield’s schedule is a block of six straight games within the OAA Blue.

It visits Seaholm on Thursday (7 p.m.). The following week the Lakers come home for games against Ferndale (Sept. 6, 7 p.m.) and Pontiac (Sept. 9, 7 p.m.). It has finishes the stretch off with back-to-back games against Harrison on Sept. 13 (away; 7 p.m.) and Sept. 15 (home; 7 p.m.). 

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