Catlin Gabel’s boys soccer team bears little resemblance to last year’s 3A/2A/1A runner-up.
Gone is the class that helped lead the Eagles to three consecutive unbeaten regular seasons and the state title in 2016, replaced by a horde of unproven underclassmen.
But what the young newcomers lack in size and experience, they are making up for with skill. The team has opened the season 5-0-1 and moved to No. 1 in the OSAAtoday coaches poll.
“I don’t think anybody is going to look at us in warmups and be terrified,” coach Peter Shulman said. “I think our strength is just being able to keep the ball. We’ve played teams that are physically bigger and faster guys, but we’ve managed to keep the ball against them.”
The Eagles lost six starters from last year, including a front line that produced 51 goals in Ben Karp, Keegan Kaas and Rowan Hoffman. They have replaced that scoring by committee as 10 different players have combined to score the team’s 19 goals so far, led by junior Spud Ward (four goals).
“We’re basically bringing waves of attackers at people,” Shulman said. “There’s no single dominant player up there. They’ve all got skills and abilities, some different talents. As the game develops, we look and see what combinations are working the best.”
After tying No. 3 St. Mary’s of Medford 3-3 in the opener, Catlin Gabel has reeled off five consecutive wins, the last four by shutout. Among the wins was a 6-0 blanking of No. 9 Riverside, the team that beat the Eagles 4-1 in last year’s state final.
Catlin Gabel is getting outstanding play from sophomore goalkeeper Bowen Blair, a 6-foot-1 sophomore who has participated in the Olympic Development Program. He split time in goal last season, but now that Fritz Frerichs has moved on to the University of Puget Sound, the job belongs to Bowen.
“I haven’t seen a goalie as good as our goalie,” Shulman said. “He’s a stout kid, a strong kid. Very good goalie and very good foot skills.”
The Eagles’ strength is their midfield with Ward, senior Hansen Lian and sophomore Kai Gamboa. The team’s center backs – junior Evan Karp and sophomore Cai Fernandez-Powell -- have been solid, too.
“We’ve got to connect more passes to create goals,” Shulman said. “We’ve got less individuals that are able to break down players on their own, and more combinations of passing, a lot of movement off the ball.”
Catlin Gabel has two more matches before a Special District 1 showdown Sept. 28 at home against its rival, No. 2 Oregon Episcopal (5-1). The Eagles visit the Aardvarks on Oct. 5.
