Some soccer teams prefer to lay back and wait for their opportunities to attack.
Not the Scotia-Glenville boys soccer team. The Tartans are constantly on the attack.
That doesn’t mean Scotia-Glenville is constantly in its opponents’ half of the field firing shots on goal. It means the Tartans attempt to push the ball down the field every second, even if they don’t have possession of the ball.
We play a different system than most teams, said Scotia-Glenville coach Chris Bailey. `We’re playing with more attacking players and trying to push the ball. This system doesn’t work for all teams, but it works for us.`
So far, this attacking system has led to a strong start for the Tartans. They enter Thursday’s Foothills Council game at Queensbury with a 3-0 league record and a 4-1 overall mark ` their only blemish being a 3-2 overtime loss to Colonial Council power Schalmont Sept. 4 in the finals of the Capital Cup Tournament.
`It’s been a great start to the season,` said Bailey. `That loss [to Schalmont] sent a great message to our players. It was basically a wake-up call for us. It said that we have to be prepared to play every game hard.`
Besides constantly trying to push the ball, Scotia-Glenville’s offense is predicated on balance. Several players have contributed with goals this season led by Chris Alescio and Dennis Turner, both of whom have scored three goals. What’s more, said Bailey, is that he expects every one of his 19 position players to contribute.
`I want to play everyone because they all work so hard,` said Bailey.
This year’s Scotia-Glenville roster is younger than it has been in recent years. Though he has eight seniors, Bailey only starts three of them on a regular basis ` giving the rest of the starting lineup over to juniors and sophomores.
`What I tried to sell the guys at the beginning of the year is that I’m going to play the best, and so far it seems that the best are our younger guys,` said Bailey.
The younger guys have been coming through of late. Turner ` one of two sophomores that start for Bailey ` scored the lone goal in Scotia-Glenville’s 1-0 league win against Broadalbin-Perth Tuesday. Last Friday, it was juniors Alescio and Gramm Gordon who tallied in the Tartans’ 2-0 victory over Glens Falls.
All the while, Scotia-Glenville’s defense has been coming up big when needed. When Broadalbin-Perth threatened to score early in the first half of Tuesday’s game, junior Kullen Bailey cleared the ball before it crossed the goal line. Senior goaltender Dan Saccocio made the remainder of the saves to help the Tartans post their third consecutive shutout.
Bailey said he expects his team to receive more tests in the coming days, starting with Thursday’s game at Queensbury.
`There was a lot of parity in the league last year,` said Bailey. `In my mind, Queensbury and South Glens Falls are the favorites, but you never know.`
Still, as long as Scotia-Glenville keeps attacking, Bailey said his team has a chance.
`Honestly, I think we have the horses to compete for the league title if we stay healthy,` said Bailey.
Schalmont (4-0, 6-0) ` the team that defeated Scotia-Glenville ` continued its early season dominance with a 5-0 Colonial Council victory over Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Tuesday.
A.J. Metzold scored three goals to lead the Sabres, who have outscored their first four Colonial Council opponents 15-2. Dom Pavoldi and Drake Sichak added the other goals.
Schalmont hosts Albany Academy Thursday.“