Dunedin High School Boys Soccer Preview

Heart & hustle. That's what Dunedin High School's boys varsity soccer team is all about this year.

It will be an uphill battle for the Falcons. Coach David Rowe lost his entire starting backfield after last year's graduation ceremony, and Pinellas County is already a very competitive region for boys soccer. Pair that with the fact that Dunedin's enrollment is down. They could be in the next smaller division.

Rowe also wages an ongoing battle with youth soccer clubs. Their seasons overlap, and players often must choose between club sports and school athletics.

Considering all of this and Dunedin's competition - powerhouses like Seminole and Countryside - this season is nothing short of intimidating.

Still, Coach Rowe remains undaunted. He knows there is plenty of youth and talent to be found on the Falcon's squad.  Keeper Weston Wiggs, only a freshman, shows a lot of promise covering the net. Forwards Jared Lucero and Teddy Aloizakis lead a formidable attack that, despite their losing record, still scores goals. And sweeper Julian Collewijn bolsters the team's potential even more, coming off a nine-goal season last year and looking to improve his mark.

The Falcons have their work cut out for them. They face several tough teams and are already off to a 0-3-2 mark, but you would never know it watching them practice. They show great camaraderie and élan, and Rowe expects them to improve dramatically throughout the year. While the playoffs may not be feasible this year, he believes their best seasons are just ahead of them.

To his team, Rowe stresses "academics first" and that they can "win games on will and determination".

If the U.S. World Cup team proved anything, it's just that. 

Dunedin High School Boys Varsity Soccer 2010-2011 Roster

Dunedin High School Boys Varsity Soccer 2010-2011 Schedule