Letter to the Editor: Eagan High School Boys Soccer Enters New Era

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Monday morning August 13, 2012 the Athletic Complex was invaded by 108 boys hoping to earn a spot in the Eagan High School boys soccer program overseen by , only the second boys soccer coach the program has ever seen. Coach Merrick was joined by his new varsity assistants, Jose Martinez and volunteer varsity assistant Mike Wagner, as well as longtime junior varsity coach John Willy, and new 9A coach Tony Ripley in evaluating appropriate team placement for all of the participating players. Curt Walstrom will also be joining the staff for his second year at the 9B level while coach Merrick continues his work to identify a sophomore level coach.

Coach Merrick is making his first foray into high school soccer after a long and eventful playing and coaching career that has left an indelible mark on the Minnesota soccer community as well as in England and on the world stage. After signing his first professional contract in his early teens he continued playing in the English Premier League into his twenties. In 1976, he brought his family to Minnesota to play for the upstart Minnesota Kicks in the North American Soccer League for what he thought would be a nice three-month vacation from his homeland. His brief time living in Eagan that summer convinced him this would be the right place to stay and raise his then young children.

After ending his playing career, he became the coach of the Minnesota Strikers team, which briefly played outdoors before they became an indoor team in the Major Indoor Soccer League. When the team folded he went on to direct events, activities, and camps for the National Sports Center in Blaine and became the coach for the Men’s Club Soccer team at the University of Minnesota, a position he continues to hold.

With a new coach, a program that graduated 15 seniors who led the team to a season ending rank of #5 in the state and with only four underclassmen that saw significant playing time you might think the cupboard was left bare, but this year’s varsity will be out to prove those ideas wrong. After four days of spirited play amongst all of the players in the program, nineteen have emerged to claim a coveted spot on the varsity team.

The senior class will be led by three of the four co-captains, namely Kyle Mayne, Juan Sjoberg, and Wyatt Wagner. Juan and Wyatt look to lead the offensive attack after finishing 3rd and 4th respectively in scoring last season while playing significant roles in their junior seasons. Kyle will anchor a strong defensive core of seniors with an increased role from what was also a stellar junior season. Carter Johns and Ryan Larson, after playing a limited role on varsity while playing significant minutes for the junior varsity last season as juniors, will start alongside Kyle Mayne in the backline. Midfielder/forward Kyle Stefani and keeper Keith Krawza will also return to varsity and will look to increase their contributions to the team after seeing limited varsity minutes as juniors while playing critical roles on the junior varsity.

Joining his fellow seniors on varsity for the first time will be forward/midfielder Sergio Munoz. This group has a long history of success from their early playing days in Eagan, through middle school, with club teams, and into high school that they hope to capitalize on in their final opportunity as high school players. This summer saw Johns, Larson, Mayne, Munoz, Sjoberg, and Wagner lead their U17 Premier team to a third-place finish in the Midwest Region league first division, a Minnesota State Cup runner-up finish and an undefeated Minnesota premier league championship.

A testament to the senior class’ passion for soccer is evidenced by an additional six seniors playing on the junior varsity waiting in the wings to join the varsity program if needed.

The junior class will be led by fellow co-captain, midfielder/defender Jake Punch, who played a significant role as a reserve midfielder on the varsity last season. Jake spent his summer playing for the St. Croix U17 Midwest Region league team that finished second in the first division, captured the Minnesota State Cup championship and went on to play in Michigan in the Midwest Regionals. Joining him from the junior class as returning varsity players will be keeper Brady Martin and midfielder Ryan Mott. Martin saw limited action on the varsity last season, but played significant minutes with the junior varsity and will form half of a strong keeper tandem on varsity this season. Mott will look to increase his varsity role as a key player this season in the midfield. New juniors to varsity after spending last season on the sophomore team will be midfielder Ahmed Ahmed, defender Kevin Clough, midfielder Jonah Garcia, midfielder/forward Toby Heller, defender Ed Olson, and midfielder Jordan Puchniak. Garcia, Heller, Martin, and Mott led their U16 Premier team to the Minnesota State Cup semi-finals and a strong showing in the Minnesota U16 Premier league.

The sophomore class will have one representative on the varsity. Newcomer Abdi Ali will look to show he is ready for varsity action while trying to earn playing time as a forward. The freshman class will have just one representative as well. Also a newcomer to varsity is midfielder Chad Miller. Miller is an accomplished player having played on an undefeated U14 Minnesota Premier league championship team that spent some of their summer training in Brazil.

This newest inception of Eagan High School Boys’ Soccer looks to take advantage of all of the strengths each of the players bring to the team individually. Their hope is to create a team with a sum that is more than each player’s individual greatness. They will look to take advantage of the freshness of their experience with a new coach that is arguably the biggest name in Minnesota soccer history steering the Wildcat ship. Family, friends, classmates, and the wider Eagan community are encouraged to step into the Eagan High School Stadium to cheer on your Wildcats as they sail into a new era!

—Mike Wagner

Interested in submitting a letter to the editor for publication on Eagan Patch? Email Editor David Henke at david.henke@patch.com.