With new faces in lineup, Vandebilt hopes for another state title run

Long before the schedule is made, the starting lineup is set and the first ball is kicked, the Vandebilt boys soccer team knows one thing n there’s a giant bulls-eye on their backs.

The Terriers have won several state championships over the years and when they don’t win the big trophy, they’re usually always very close like last year when the team lost in the state finals.

So with a youthful roster this year, don’t expect any rebuilding for the Terriers, who expect to make a similar push, despite some early-season struggles.

“That’s not something we shy away from,” senior J.J. Waitz said. “We always expect to win state. Last year, we were bummed out coming out second, because we definitely expected to win state, but we came up a little short. This year and every other year at Vandebilt, we expect nothing less n no matter who is or isn’t on the team anymore.”

The list of names the Terriers have to replace this year is reminiscent of a Tri-parish prep soccer Hall of Fame.

Gone is T.J. Freeman, the school’s all-time leading scorer, as well as last season’s other primary players: Chris Watson, Matt Robichaux and Michael Ortego.

Those departures have the Terriers looking like a brand-new team with several underclassmen being leaned on to pick up the slack.

“Last year, we definitely lost a lot of seniors that were starters,” senior midfielder Paul Pinson said. “Now, we’re just building up on the younger players and letting them start and get experience. We’re building for the future, kind of, while also knowing and expecting the present to be bright.”

Terriers coach Matt Kelso agreed and added that despite the many departures, the cupboard is far from bare for this year’s team.

“These boys are really coachable,” Kelso said. “And most of them, they love the game. They are willing to learn and they’re easy to coach. When you have good guys like that, it’s easy. We’re going to become good, because they want to become good.”

“Becoming good” hasn’t come easy so far for the Terriers, who started the season off with four-straight losses.

Those setbacks were mostly close ones at the hands of some of the biggest powers in the state, which Kelso said was done intentionally to season his youngsters for when the postseason draws near.

“We don’t shy away from any games, either,” Kelso said. “We’ve played St. Paul’s who are now ranked No. 1 in the state. And they truly are No. 1 in the state from what I’ve seen. We’ve played Brother Martin, Catholic of Baton Rouge and Newman. Newman is No. 1 in Division III, while Catholic and Brother Martin are ranked in the Top 5 in Division I, so we’ve not shied away from any opponents because it’s good preparation for our kids. It shows us where we are and what we have to do to get where we need to be.”

Following the grueling non-district schedule, Vandebilt showed more of what people expect from them last Tuesday when they scored a dominant 10-0 win against O. Perry Walker in their first district game.

Waitz recorded a hat trick in that win, while Pinson added a goal of his own.

Kelso said getting that first win was important for the team’s mindset, as it proved to them they truly are headed in the right direction.

The coach added that his team really struggled with their early-season schedules, but he consistently emphasized to them that they are closer than they realize, which was doubly why the win was reassuring.

“If we come out here and every day is a good day, then we have nothing to learn from,” Kelso said. “And I always tell these boys that we’ll have our good days and we’ll have our bad days. But it’s the bad days that count, because that’s where we learn. We’ve taken our lumps and these boys have felt it. They’ve gone home and I know they’ve felt it. … But they’re getting there.”

With the temperatures dropping and the mercury in the soccer thermometer shooting up with midseason heat, don’t expect youthful Vandebilt to run from their bulls-eye.

They expect it, and are ready to defend it.

“We’ve got to face it and we’ve got to face it straight on,” Kelso said. “Because we know every time we go out, it doesn’t matter who it is we’re playing, we have a bulls-eye on us. Everybody wants to beat us because of who we are. And that’s no fault to these boys. But they need to realize that’s been set from the kids who have come here previously. These kids before have set a foundation for these boys to build off. … And we have a group here who is ready to keep it going.”

Vandebilt Catholic boys soccer coach Matt Kelso gives instructions to two of his young players at a recent practice. With a more inexperienced team this season, the coach has had to be patient while waiting for his young team to blossom. CASEY GISCLAIR