MONROE - Returning only three varsity players in a sport that requires 11 on the field at once can lead to problems. Especially against perennial state championship contenders.
"Waunakee hasn't lost a conference game in the last three years and are always one of the top-ranked teams in Division 1," Monroe boys soccer coach Tony Stamm said after his team's 4-1 loss to Waunakee Tuesday at Honey Creek Park. "We have only three returning players on varsity, and the rest of the guys are all new. This was the first time we got to all play together and I think we did a great job. I was very happy with the way our guys worked."
Waunakee wasted no time getting on the board, putting a ball beyond the reach of Monroe senior goalkeeper Kramer Henning not even 10 minutes into the game. By the 17th minute, the Warriors led 2-0.
"Waunakee has lots of talented players and I felt we kept up with them almost all game," Stamm said. "They had more scores than us, but guy-to-guy, we kept up with them."
Mitch Marty put the Cheesemakers on the board nearly four minutes later. Marty took a breakaway pass from Kelli Isaj and got the ball passed Waunakee's sliding goalkeeper, scoring easily.
With rain soaking the field the Warriors opened the second half with a bang, scoring in the first three minutes to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
"We're going to try and trap the ball back in the defense a little better," Stamm said. "We had some opportunities there and we didn't really know how to work it before. We started getting it down here at the end a little bit."
Waunakee scored its final goal in the closing minutes.
"We are very short on subs," said Stamm, who said it's tough as it is with a short preseason practice schedule. The team opened practice Monday, Aug. 9.
"There is hardly any time to make judgments on where players need to go an where to play at. Also to then try and get them to break bad habits. It's a very short time to get heavy into the season," Stamm said.
Stamm did say that despite school not being in session, he has not had problems with players making it to practice on time.
"They have done a very good job of getting here. We have a bunch of guys who work really good with each other, on the field and giving rides to practice," Stamm said.
Monroe travels to DeForest Thursday and hosts Pewaukee Saturday morning.
"Pewaukee usually is one of the top teams in division 2. We had never seen them and they wanted to play us. We feel kind of honored that they wanted to play and we're going to give them a good match," Stamm said, adding that he feels it will only take a couple more games for the team to get rolling.
"Waunakee hasn't lost a conference game in the last three years and are always one of the top-ranked teams in Division 1," Monroe boys soccer coach Tony Stamm said after his team's 4-1 loss to Waunakee Tuesday at Honey Creek Park. "We have only three returning players on varsity, and the rest of the guys are all new. This was the first time we got to all play together and I think we did a great job. I was very happy with the way our guys worked."
Waunakee wasted no time getting on the board, putting a ball beyond the reach of Monroe senior goalkeeper Kramer Henning not even 10 minutes into the game. By the 17th minute, the Warriors led 2-0.
"Waunakee has lots of talented players and I felt we kept up with them almost all game," Stamm said. "They had more scores than us, but guy-to-guy, we kept up with them."
Mitch Marty put the Cheesemakers on the board nearly four minutes later. Marty took a breakaway pass from Kelli Isaj and got the ball passed Waunakee's sliding goalkeeper, scoring easily.
With rain soaking the field the Warriors opened the second half with a bang, scoring in the first three minutes to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
"We're going to try and trap the ball back in the defense a little better," Stamm said. "We had some opportunities there and we didn't really know how to work it before. We started getting it down here at the end a little bit."
Waunakee scored its final goal in the closing minutes.
"We are very short on subs," said Stamm, who said it's tough as it is with a short preseason practice schedule. The team opened practice Monday, Aug. 9.
"There is hardly any time to make judgments on where players need to go an where to play at. Also to then try and get them to break bad habits. It's a very short time to get heavy into the season," Stamm said.
Stamm did say that despite school not being in session, he has not had problems with players making it to practice on time.
"They have done a very good job of getting here. We have a bunch of guys who work really good with each other, on the field and giving rides to practice," Stamm said.
Monroe travels to DeForest Thursday and hosts Pewaukee Saturday morning.
"Pewaukee usually is one of the top teams in division 2. We had never seen them and they wanted to play us. We feel kind of honored that they wanted to play and we're going to give them a good match," Stamm said, adding that he feels it will only take a couple more games for the team to get rolling.
