The Becker boys soccer team will have some holes to fill this year, after graduating 10 seniors from last season’s team.  

“With losing 10 seniors, 6 of whom never left the field, and looking at the 38 goals from last year’s senior class, there are many opportunities for guys to step up for us this season,” said Head Coach Nick Crowley, who returns for his 8th season in charge of the program.

A year ago, the Bulldogs finished third in the Mississippi 8 Conference and ended up losing to Alexandria in the Sections.  This year, the team’s finish will depend on the growth of several key players.

“We will be expecting more from Mason Sundberg (junior), and seniors Cole Kalinowski and Landon Reynolds as our goal scoring threats,” Crowley said.  “We are hoping that seniors Bryce Paumen and Adler Herdina can step up defensively this season.”

Crowley also has a trio of players that he will look to to help set the tempo for the team this season in Brigham Ebert, Paxton Ament and Troy Nuest.

Providing leadership for the Bulldogs this year will be a pair of seniors - Kalinowski and Nuest, and two juniors - Ebert and Sawyer Klug.

As the team works on defining roles and operating in cohesion early in the season, Crowley set forth several goals that his charges will be working towards.

“We are hoping to compete for the top spots in the Mississippi8 Conference, host the first round of Sections, and keep a positive goal differential,” Crowley said.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to open the season on August 21 as they hosted Apollo, followed by a home match against Spectrum the following day.  Becker traveled to Monticello on August 25th to open Mississippi8 Conference play.