What's the outlook for 2023 Livingston County boys' soccer teams?
Brighton
► Last season: 6-4-4 KLAA West (3rd place); 7-7-4 overall
► Top returners: Andrew Bowman, D, Jr.; Owen Buckley, F, Jr.; Hunter Haglund, D, Sr.; Ryan Hemphill, D, Sr.; Jimmie Johnson, D, Sr.; Anthony Klebba, MF, Jr.; Devlin McGinnis, MF, Jr.; Reece Meyer, GK, Soph.
► Outlook: Brighton returns its leading scorer in McGinnis, who had nine goals and six assists last season. His production, and the team’s, should increase considerably with the addition of senior Colin Robertson up front. Brighton struggled offensively last year while keeping games close with its defense. The Bulldogs’ strength appears to be up front this season, while the defense is rebuilt following the graduation of first-team all-county picks Chris Vernon and Connor Allan. Haglund and Hemphill were key parts of that defense last year. Meyer and three-sport athlete Charlie Burchfield will split time in goal.
► Coach Mark Howell: “We’re definitely more counter-oriented. Last year, we were trying to get goals off set pieces. This year, we should be more of the opposite, generating goals in the run of play and making sure we stay organized defensively.”
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Charyl Stockwell
► Top returners: Luke Bargen, D, Jr.; Joe Carey, GK, Jr.; Keith Holland, D, Jr.; Sam Siebert, MF, Sr.; David Wilson, F, Sr.
► Outlook: With the graduation of 11 seniors, including career 66-goal scorer Seth Campbell, the Sentinels have barely enough players in the school for a varsity roster. Carey is capable of keeping Stockwell in games as a third-year starting goalie. Wilson brings speed up front, complementing the power attacking style of senior Nick Nicaj, who is back after not playing last season.
► Coach Chris Greene: “A guy like Seth Campbell is irreplaceable. We’ve got a couple guys we’re trying to mold into players like Seth, like Sam Siebert, who is good on the ball in the midfield. I would put David Wilson up against anybody in a foot race in the county.”
Fowlerville
► Top returners: Tanner Camps, F, Sr.; Ian Hartke, F, Sr.; Ryan Laimonis, MF, Sr.; Rogelio Rodriguez, MF, Sr.; Owen Smith, GK, Jr.
► Outlook: With 11 seniors on a 15-man roster, this is the season Fowlerville has been pointing toward for the last few years. The Gladiators have a potent attack, led by Hartke (18 goals in 2022) and Rodriguez (six goals, six assists). Competing with perennial CAAC Red powers Mason and Williamston in league play will be a huge challenge, but Fowlerville should win plenty of games coming off an 8-10 season. One of the few non-seniors on the team is also one of the most important, with Smith returning for his third season as the starting goalie.
► Coach Jason Sperry: “We’ve changed our style a little bit. We found out how we want to play. It’s now fine-tuning and getting everybody on board. We’ve got everybody working together now. We’ll see what we can do.”
Hartland
► Last season: 3-6-5 KLAA West (6th place); 6-9-5 overall
► Top returners: Evan Bryan, MF, Sr.; Christian Czarnecki, F, Sr.; Erik Pecaj, MF, Sr.; Evan Ringle, MF, Sr.; Caden Walker, F, Sr.; Garrett Woodbury, F, Sr.
► Outlook: The Eagles hope to ride the momentum of their strong finish in 2022. After a 1-8-3 start, they went on a 5-0-2 run to reach their first district final in six years. With 20 seniors on the roster, Hartland needs to make something special out of this season, because there could be a drop-off next year. Pecaj was a second-team all-county performer last season. Sophomore Trip Tomyn replaces four-year starter Matt Preiss in goal.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “We have a senior-heavy team, so we’re looking to hopefully take a step forward. The second half of last season, we did better; we upgraded to wins or ties. We’re hoping to pick up from there.”
Howell
► Last season: 0-13-1 KLAA West (8th place); 1-17-1 overall
► Top returners: Luis Maldonado Vazquez, F, Jr.; Alex Romo, MF, Sr.
► Outlook: Howell has struggled to compete in one of the toughest soccer league in Michigan, going 1-64-3 in KLAA West play during the five seasons since the league realigned. Michael Sampson, who has coached at the lower levels in Howell and Brighton, becomes Howell’s fourth head coach in the last five seasons. Senior Nolan Hudnut, an all-state lacrosse goalie, has come out for the soccer team to help in net.
► Coach Michael Sampson: “I’m planning to be here the next 10 years and turn this baby around. … Each game, it’s like we’re painting a picture. When you’re painting that picture, it’s paying attention to those fine details. We’re going to play a different system. I don’t think the teams in the KLAA have seen this system.”
Livingston Christian
► Top returners: Kaleb Butts, MF, Sr.; Bradley DeMasellis, F, Jr.; Ethan Harrison, MF, Soph.; Caleb Nixon, F-MF, Sr.
► Outlook: Six of the small schools on Livingston Christian’s schedule play 8-on-8 soccer, but the Falcons have a large enough roster to play 11-on-11 for 10 of their games and the MHSAA postseason. Livingston Christian has 22 players, some of whom will rotate between varsity and junior varsity.
► Coach Jon DeMasellis: “The boys had a lot of fun last year and brought some new kids into the fold. ‘Hey, you need to come be part of what we’re doing.’ We added a couple students. A family moved from Arizona and added a couple boys. We’re just trying to grow the program from its infancy.”
Pinckney
► Last season: 10-0 SEC White (1st place); 13-3-1 overall
► Top returners: Parker Hays, D, Sr.; Eric Knight, D, Soph.; James Uphouse, F-MF, Soph.; Hank Wilson, F, Soph.
► Outlook: A team that has won back-to-back SEC White championships wasn’t guaranteed to even have a team this season after graduating 10 of its 19 players, with no junior varsity team and only one incoming freshman. The Pirates have put together a 16-man roster, though few of them were key contributors to last year’s success. Hays and Uphouse received honorable mention all-county last season. Hays also runs for Pinckney's state-ranked cross country team.
► Coach Sean Grace: “I asked a lot of players, ‘Listen, get your buddies out there. I don’t care if they haven’t played since they were 8.’ They did a good job. They got six kids to come out. Actually, two or three have never played soccer and both of them are starting. They did their jobs and got athletic kids to come out and play soccer.”
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillKhan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: What's the outlook for 2023 Livingston County boys' soccer teams?
