I thought an interesting post for many readers might be a list of the top 11 players from the years that I have been at Maranatha. Understand - this is not a top 11 of all time, but the top 11 that I have personally seen play. There are certainly other players during the 36 years of men's soccer at Maranatha who may be more deserving of mention, but I will leave that list to someone else. Furthermore, in some seasons, I may not have seen very many men's matches, so that might also affect a choice. Several of these players did not play for four years, but they made a significant impact in the time that they were here. I also think that we have one or two players on our current squad who will make this list in a couple of years. It is also interesting that three of the four midfielders are from Muncie, IN. If you disagree with any choices, leave a comment and I will respond.
Forwards
Stephen Roby - probably the best pure soccer player that I have seen at Maranatha. There are other players who possessed equal ability in some parts of his game, but very few had the whole package. His free kicks were freakish.
Greg Wright - possibly the fastest player we have had since 1993. A pure goal scorer, although you wouldn't be able to tell from this year's alumni match.
Greg Wright - possibly the fastest player we have had since 1993. A pure goal scorer, although you wouldn't be able to tell from this year's alumni match.
Midfielders
Scott Ice - a running machine with great heart. Nothing Scott did was pretty, but what he accomplished through pure hustle was amazing.
Brad Stille - Brad was a pressure player. He came up with big plays in crunch time. Scott and Brad played together and controlled the middle better than any tandem that I have observed since. Furthermore, both of them were godly leaders and both are in ministry today. I believe that both players epitomize the Maranatha soccer player.
Clayton Callan - everyone knew that Clayton would be a special player from the first day that he attended soccer camp. He weakness was speed, but when you saw what he could do with the ball, you didn't care. His mind was always ahead of the play- a prototypical centermidfielder.
Timothy Ashton - a physically small player, but his speed and ball control were top notch; once he put on some muscle, he was a dominant outside midfielder
Brad Stille - Brad was a pressure player. He came up with big plays in crunch time. Scott and Brad played together and controlled the middle better than any tandem that I have observed since. Furthermore, both of them were godly leaders and both are in ministry today. I believe that both players epitomize the Maranatha soccer player.
Clayton Callan - everyone knew that Clayton would be a special player from the first day that he attended soccer camp. He weakness was speed, but when you saw what he could do with the ball, you didn't care. His mind was always ahead of the play- a prototypical centermidfielder.
Timothy Ashton - a physically small player, but his speed and ball control were top notch; once he put on some muscle, he was a dominant outside midfielder
Defenders
Dan Holcomb - his career was somewhat limited by injury and he struggled some academically, but Dan was one of the best defenders at taking the ball away and then immediately starting a counterattack. He was deceptively fast and his touch was better than most defenders.
Jeremy Leffring - spent most of his career at forward and midfield, but when he moved to the back, there was no one better. He had the best individual ball skill of anyone on this list and had a deep understanding of the game.
James Solarek - Played on some bad teams, but singlehandedly kept games close. A good leader and a pressure player. I still remember his goal against NBBC during his freshman year. .
John Sorensen - This one was close, there are a couple players below who might have been better a various times in their career, but Jon was one of the most consistent players in the back. He had the ability to physically dominate the defensive third.
Jeremy Leffring - spent most of his career at forward and midfield, but when he moved to the back, there was no one better. He had the best individual ball skill of anyone on this list and had a deep understanding of the game.
James Solarek - Played on some bad teams, but singlehandedly kept games close. A good leader and a pressure player. I still remember his goal against NBBC during his freshman year. .
John Sorensen - This one was close, there are a couple players below who might have been better a various times in their career, but Jon was one of the most consistent players in the back. He had the ability to physically dominate the defensive third.
Goalkeeper
Jason Boe - the perfect combination of athleticism and technique. Jason was a great athlete who also worked on his footwork and handshape until they were perfect. Maranatha has had some outstanding goalkeepers who had great instincts, but no one possessed the technique of JBoe.
Honorable Mention
Scott Hawes, Dan Zempel, Paul Ice, Troy Campbell, Derek Schultz, Jamy Antoine, Tavis Fivek, Jim Wahlberg, Pete White, Dave Stein, Adam Steen, Ruben Valenzuela
38 comments:
Is your crew still tearing up the baseball field or have you found somewhere else to practice?
Butler in CA
Our field is in great shape, no infield dirt. Baseball plays off-campus now. We just had some problems with too much water last year. Tons of rain. . .we named the field Crusader Lake. . .
Teasdale has to be at least honorable mention.
And I agree on Ohman, even though he only played one year.
So...let's hear the Women's list...since you have coached them the whole time. Does that make it easier or harder to choose? I have my list, but would love to see yours! :)
I thought hard about Ohman, but one year just wasn't enough, I thought. There are guys on the list who only played 2 years. Others have said that Valenzuela should have replaced Sorensen, but I don't want to be the one to tell him. . .
Are you sure Schultz played more than one year? I didn't think he did, but he was before my time.
You got me there. . . Schultz was in school for two years, but I think he was ineligible for one of the years. . .he was a pretty good player, but his sister was probably better. . .
Sandy, the top 11 women is on the way - I should probably check my list with yours before I post it, right?
Yes, if nothing else, I could check spelling and numbers - like on rosters! Just kidding!
Looking forward to it.
Sand
For pure talent, you have to consider the guys on the '90 team like Scott Nichols and Mike Trumbore that led us to the national championship game. I think Scott would agree with me that they were just plain amazing to us Freshmen. By the way, Scott and his family are still very close to mine. MBBC soccer will aways be a sweet memory.
Brad Stille
I didn't see those guys play - I know that is a little narcissisic. . . am certain that there are others we have missed. I have heard about Nichols. I don't know anything about Trumbore. I seem to remember someone telling me about a certain freshman who scored the winning goal in overtime of one of the play-off games that years. . .
I think the Merritt brothers deserve mention. Teasdale is also a solid pick. Sorensen? Are we talking Jon Sorensen? I don't see it.
Derrick Schultz was sick in his day. 1996 or 1997 vs. lakeland Schultz catches the keeper too far out and pins the ball back of the net from 45 out. Nasty.
I never saw Roby but he had to have a nasty direct kick if it was better than Leffring.
Anonymous, it would be easier to respond if I knew who you were... I realize that Jon was not the best soccer player when it comes to pure talent and he certainly did not stand out early in his career. However, by the time he left he was a dominant physical presence. There may have been a couple others who had better talent, but Jon was the best over time. Especially after he gained about 40 lb of muscle...
Yeah, I remember that shot by Schultz. I also remember several others that he scored off of in 1996. I always remember one against Cardinal Stritch...
Roby's free kicks had more bend, velocity and he could do it equally well with both feet. Leffring was a better tactical soccer player, but I saw Roby regularly beat keepers from 40+ from stationary balls and during play.
If I had to pick a player to build my team around, Leffring might get the edge because of his game sense and defensive ability. It would be hard to pick against Roby though because his speed was so incredible...
What, no Merritt reaction? I heard they were pretty good.
Oh I liked Sorensen. Sorensen was good by the time he left but running a guy over does not a soccer player make. I can safely say that because he lives 1,000 miles away.
Sorensen got results...wasn't pretty, but he got results. Holcomb was a more talented player, but Sorensen was more consistent over the long run.
The Merritt boys were all nice players. Jay had an especially solid career, but I don't think he cracks the top 11 in a group that includes, Callan, Leffering, Ashton, Stille, S. Ice, P. Ice, Zempel and all of the other standout mids that we have had... Jamy Antoine probably has more of an argument than Jay Merritt - and Pete White and there are probably more. If Jay had played defense, I might have put him ahead of Sorensen. :)
ouch! (hear that faint sound...shhhh listen...those are soccer dreams being crushed)
Fine I'll give you that, but not Antoine. He spent more time dribbling toward our goal than anything.
and I'd take Jim Wahlburg over holcomb anyday!
Jim was a good defender, but his lack of speed hurt him and he did not support or even lead the attack quite the way Holcomb did - when he was 100% - in 1995 and 1997.
i agree I'd take Wahlberg over holcomb
One time Sorensen went to chase a ball that had gone out of bounds and he accidentally knocked an oncoming train right off the tracks, injuring several passengers. Solarek is also a freak of nature.
Wahlbergh was the best pure defender i've ever played with. I can say that now having played with a semi-pro team.
Leffring is still the best all-around player i've ever played with.
Roby played with my brother in high school. He was great, but needed support around him to play well.
-Board
Wahlberg might have been better than holcomb or sorensen, but I don't think he was better than Solarek.
I'm not sure if we have heard from anyone else who saw holcomb play when he was 100%.
I'm not sure how Roby was in hs, but on the college level, he was better than Leffring - and he was a part of a team that won more games - that started 8 freshmen - and played a tougher schedule. Leffring's teams,especially his last year, were loaded with talent. Yet his teams never beat Moody or Marian - or won more than seven games. Roby's team won nine as a freshmen and he ranked 6th in DIII in goals scored.
Leffring had a better understanding of the game. He was a better tactician, but he did not compare with Roby when it came to pure talent, speed and ball skill.
Coach-
This is a little before your time I am sure, but one of the best players to wear the blue and gold was Ross Boucher. We played together in the mid 80's and he was one of the hardest working players I had ever been around. You could count on him to be in the mix around the goal.
Don, I've heard about Ross and he is the all-time leading goalscorer in MBBC men's soccer, but I never saw him play. There are others who have told me that Bill Mulder scored more goals than anyone, but stats are very sketchy from that time period.
Well, thank you for putting me up there coach c. But did you have to bring up the academics:) I only missed one season and that was not because of my grades but rather being short 1 credit hour:( That was a rough time for me thanks for the reminder:)
I saw Wahlburg play and as a defender he would win the battle over me any day I am sure of that, but I think when I was there we played a different system then when he was at sweeper. I could think of others that should be there before me as well but I do thank you for the recognition.
Schultz did play 2 years and his ability to get a ball on goal from almost any angle and the thing he had the ability to do that noone you mentioned (expect Leffring) could do is to create his own shot out of nothing was unreal. I would have loved to have him on the right and Greg Wright on the left, both had an increadible shot and Greg's speed was amzage. J Merrit's agressive and no matter how agressive he was he always was in control. All around I think he was one of the best multipurpos mid-fielders we've. Well except the one time when he scored on J. Boe against Grace:) You did forget Chris Wredburg(sp?) after moving over to right back when he hurt his elbow. You always count on him for a big stop.
Now doesn't Tavis get honorable mention. He would be #1 in the category for some of the most spectacular saves don't you think.
How about a list of the 11 toughest players, an all madden soccer team of sorts? Chad Fuller, Mike Sturgill, Scott Hawes, J. Merritt would be in that one also ect....I could blog about MBBC soccer for a long time. I miss it and the friends I had there, I think I jumped and celibrated as much as the players did the year they finally beat Northland again after years of get crushed. I still go on the website and follow the team and see how they are doing.
I will say more later if anyone cares to hear it but I doubt they will.
Sorry for any spelling errors after all I did struggle academically:)
Holcomb
Good to hear from you, Dan. You are welcome to "guest post" anytime. It would be fun. Just send me an email or Word attachment.
I talked to Leffering a while ago and he said that when he was at another school in our division he was the leading scorer in the nation in his freshman year. I am pretty sure he was the MVP of the National Tourney too. the only reason he played sweeper for us is because we were not that good. He said that he had All American awards all four years. Is that true?
He might have been an AA in the NCCAA II all four years. I'm not sure why he played sweeper his senior year - you'd have to ask his coach or teammates. I don't know if he was MVP of the national tourney his freshman year. It is possible that Grace went to Florida, but it seems like only Moody and Northland went during that time period.
I think Roby was an NCCAA II AA both of his seasons, as well as LMC Freshman of the Year, LMC All-Conference and the 6th leading scorer in NCAA III (400+ schools) his freshman year.
Our NCCAA participation dropped significantly during Roby's tenure. 2007 will mark only the second time that we have participated in NCCAA regionals since 1996.
I know that when he was at grace he was one of if not the leading scorer but while I think that they were at the National Tourney, since they were in a dif. conf. that year then us, he wasn't the MVP of it, I know for a fact one of the Northland players won the MVP award that year. He and I knew eachother pretty well and I saw the award on his mantle at his house.
Thus the phrase the older I get the better I was:)
Does anyone remember Jeff Marsich. He was one of the better defenders that I ever watched play at Maranatha. He only played for two years I think, but after he left Maranatha he played at a Division 1or 2 school out west some where? Maranatha even beat Northland (back to back) our freshman year.
I played with Jeff Marsich. He was decent. The best thing he had going for him was his speed. He had some injuries and also was a bit on the lazy side.
one kid off the list (partially becuz he never played) is Lucky Franey...no one knew he was All-State in HS in '98 except a few because he wanted to focus on bball and not be pressured to play futbol...bet nobody knew he could play..from what I gather it just didn't interest him, but came naturally (1/2 Brazilian)...anyways, think he got kicked out or something
i think going back to the 89 and 90teams you will find alot of very good soccer players..i came in the same freshmen class as ice and stille...there were only 3 of us...i will give u some info on the rest of the team...david fisher..cannon both legs...a rock on the ball ...very physical but finesse when he needed 2...peter beers...one word..score..would post up in front of the goal and was pretty much over after that...paul gillmore...controlled the midfield..w/ scotty nichols..now nichols was magic with the ball...like the ball was attached 2 his feet...the defense was another story...kurts, scott applegate and hockamcrap ;)..were tough in the back..now trumbore...was smooth...nothing bothered him..like rain flowing down a window.....and just think how good ice and stille were...this team was stacked....and they were all leaders....oh then there was the man in the goal...brain phillips..if u saw him you'd think he was the water boy..looked slow and lazy..but he was quick and wasn't afraid of anything...as a team was beautiful soccer..i haven't seen anyone after that play at maranatha..except for my little cousin reuben v....if u have any questions u can email me at nouvelwrestlingcoach@yahoo.com...oh i only played 1 1/2 years..blew out my knee..then went on 2 play in michigan
I did not see most of these guys play. I know that both of those teams were strong.
A central consideration is that it was a different era. MBBC pre-NCAA III and post-NCAA III teams are like comparing apples to oranges.
When I arrived in 1993, we were still playing Waukesha Tech and the LMC was in it's infancy. Teams like Dominican and the entire NAC have significantly upgraded MBBC's schedule.
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