Havelock High soccer player Andrew Bird summed up the feelings of all his team members.
“We want to win,” he said.
The Rams have struggled the past two years in that department, failing to make the playoffs. Havelock was 6-14-1 overall last season and 2-11-1 in the Coastal 3A Conference.
But some young, eager players are mixing with some returners to give Havelock a new sense of confidence entering the 2011 season.
“Last year, we thought we might make the playoffs,” said Omar Gonzalez, a defender and midfielder. “This year, we want to make the playoffs. … We have the potential to play with anyone as long as we click.”
Gonzalez and Bird are among the key players for Havelock for the 2011 season. The Rams also return their leading scorer, Noah Kemble, who hit the back of the net 19 times last season.
“Our team is really connected,” he said. “Everyone is on the same page. We have to work together and play as a team.”
Kemble will be one of four sophomores in the starting lineup when the Rams open the season against Croatan on Monday at Havelock High. The junior varsity contest is scheduled for 4 p.m. with the varsity match to follow at 6 p.m.
“I think we’re going to be alright this year,” Havelock coach Jeff Harris said. “We’ll know after Croatan. We’ll see if we’re as good as we think.”
Among the key losses from last year for Havelock was keeper Tyler Dill. He anchored a defense that has yet to come together in the early part of the practices.
“Those are some big shoes to fill,” Harris said of Dill. “We’ve got to get our defense figured out.”
Patrick McKenna and Nick Fazio are both likely to see time in goal for the Rams in 2011. McKenna was the junior varsity keeper a year ago, and with the help of Dill during early practices, knows what he needs to do to help the Rams.
“I need to talk more and control the defense,” he said. “I need to come out of the box more.”
Harris is also expecting good contributions from Roy Howard, Kevin Quinn and freshman Justin Gilgore, all three of which have added to an overall increase in team speed, Harris said.
“We have more speed across the board,” he said. “We’re not blazing, but we’re faster from the first man to the last.”
He also said players got a lot out of summer practices.
“They worked hard during the summer, building up and getting stronger,” Harris said. “We conditioned all summer and lifted weights.”
The nonconference schedule includes powerhouses such as Northside and New Bern as well as the Aug. 27 Brittany tournament in Wilson.
“We have some tough teams, but if we play some good matches and get some wins, it will be a big boost for us out there,” Harris said.
The Coastal 3A Conference schedule doesn’t get any easier with traditional powers like White Oak and Jacksonville, but Harris likes the attitude of his team.
“This is probably the hardest working group I’ve seen,” Harris said. “They are doing what I ask and working hard. They’re not just going through the motions. They’re playing well and have good attitudes.”