Soccer says ‘so long’ to seniors

A relentless 2011 fall campaign is now in the books, and the ETSU men's soccer team will look to rebound next year without three vital seniors.

Defenders in Jaron Westbrook and Blake Pelton and an inexorable striker in Aaron Schoenfeld will be moving on after serving their tenure with the Bucs' soccer team. 

All three took part in the Buccaneers' first Atlantic Sun Conference title run just four years after the program started, and helped rally the team to the conference championship again this year only to fall short one goal in the last two minutes against FGCU. 

"They were the guys who formed the foundation, and the first ones to really buy into what we wanted to do," head coach Scott Calabrese said. "They are the group that changed us from being a startup program to a championship program."

Schoenfeld may be the hardest to replace. The forward hailing from Knoxville lent his hand in creating the success the ETSU soccer team has now become fairly accustomed to. 

The senior started in every one of the Buccaneers' games the past three seasons and was second on his team in goals this year with seven, a crucial one coming near the end of the USC Upstate game which clinched a conference tournament berth for the Bucs. 

"As a team, these guys are some great people," Schoenfeld said. "You couldn't find them anywhere else. They truly are my best friends and they drive me every day in practice."

Last season, Schoenfeld led ETSU in goals (7), points (17), shots (72) and shots on goal (55). He was also the front runner in the Atlantic Sun this year with 53 shots, providing the Buccaneers with an aggressive offensive attack that many teams found difficult to match up to.

"You don't find many players that are 6'3" that mobile, technical, and have that type of work rate," Calabrese said.

"There have been MLS (Major League Soccer) scouts come look at him because he has those qualities that are hard to find."

Schoenfeld said he wants to continue his career in soccer with whatever options come his way.

"I'll take it as far as it will take me, I'll go any route I have to," Schoenfeld said. "I just want to keep playing."

Westbrook, from Round Rock, Texas also started all 21 games this year for the Bucs.

He and Pelton, from Chattanooga, were huge contributors to an unyielding defense that boosted ETSU for a better part of the season. 

Westbrook and Pelton helped goalkeeper Ryan Coulter lead the Bucs to an A-Sun-leading eight shutouts this season.

"It's hard because both of them, they have experience," Calabrese said. "It's going to be hard to replace the maturity of the back and the understanding they have."

Westbrook, who is a logistics major, said that he wants to also continue his journey with soccer. He said he has several tryouts coming up, including one with a team in San Antonio and possible teams in Turkey and Peru.

Pelton is a finance major that is looking to get a job in accounting after he graduates in December.

Pelton has been with the squad for five years, and seen the growth that the program has gone through.

He was named Atlantic Sun All-Academic Team honoree last season, and scored a goal against Stetson as a defender back in 2008.

The Bucs' soccer team will keep their leading scorer David Geno, who lead the team in winning goals, and the Bucs will prepare to make another run for the Atlantic Sun title next year.

But making that run will not be easy without the help of their departing seniors.

"We will have to be a different type of team going forward," Calabrese said.