NEW PALESTINE — While other county boys soccer teams look to reload after losing big chunks of their rosters to graduation, New Palestine will be doing the opposite.
The Dragons return eight starters from last year’s team and lost just four seniors.
“That’s going to help us the most as the year goes on,” head coach Brett Canova said. “It’s a little bit of a longer season, and we have a lot of games in a short period of time, so that experience should help them manage that.”
Cody Crawmer, the team’s second-leading goalscorer last season, Brendan Tanksley, Chase Martin, and the team’s starting goalie, Blake Bobrow, are the four members gone from last year’s team.
Of the eight starters returning, the Dragons bring back every member of the defense and their leading goal scorer, Elliot Canova.
Seniors Andon Colclazier, Gavin Bannon, and Andrew Potter were all regular starters for the Dragons, and each played over 1,100 minutes on the season. Sophomore Paxton Holmes saw starts throughout the season, as did junior Aaron Smith. Seniors Daniel Davis and Tristan Kean were key role players for the Dragons and are back as well.
They’re a veteran group, but the positions and the way the Dragons play will look different than a season ago, when they finished 8-8-1 overall and 2-5 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.
“They won’t be in the same positions as last year necessarily, but we should have eight starters back out there,” coach Canova said. “We’re going to have a bit of movement with who we’re returning and who we lost.”
Offensively, the Dragons will be led by Elliot Canova, once again, but according to coach Canova, the team hopes to spread things around more than they have in recent years.
Last season, the coach’s son scored 15 goals, outpacing the next closest goalscorer by 11. He had five multi-goal games, was named first-team All-State by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association, and was All-HHC.
Three other returning players scored multiple goals for the Dragons. Sophomore Cole Christopher had three, senior Cohen Winton had three, and senior Alex Richwine had two.
“As odd as it may sound, we’re hoping for less goals from Elliot. In all honesty, we want the goal scoring to be more spread around than it has been in the past,” the coach said. “We’ve been trying to find that, but just haven’t been able to for the last couple of years. Our hope is that this year we get those goals spread out over three or four guys, not just one.”
With the offense looking to attack differently, the defense will have a new look as well. While all four defenders from last season return, the style and positions in which they play will look different.
“They look good. We’re making a few changes back there and moving people around because we’re hoping to have a different look in the way we play,” the coach said. “Overall, though, they look pretty good so far, and we’re hoping that they keep it up.”
While all of the Dragons defenders return, they’ll be defending for a new face in goal, and as of yet, even coach Canova doesn’t know who that’ll be.
“We’ve got two goalkeepers battling it out right now. They’ve both been playing very well,” the coach said. “We’re hoping in the next few days, one of them starts to separate themselves a little bit, but as of right now, they both look really good.”
Juniors Jake Wells and Cody Marino are looking to fill the spot left by the graduation of Bobrow.
The few remaining starting spots and a few key role positions are also up for grabs, according to the coach, but should be sorted out in Thursday’s scrimmage against Heritage Christian.
“We have three or four positions that we’re still trying to fill, and we’re hoping that gets sorted out (in the scrimmage),” coach Canova added. “We’re hoping that’s where we can find three or four guys that step up and show us that a position needs to be theirs. We want people to show us that they’re done playing junior varsity.”
The Dragons begin the regular season Tuesday, Aug. 15, with a home game against Mooresville.
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2023 New Palestine boys soccer schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 15;vs. Mooresville;5:30 p.m.
Aug. 17;at Yorktown;5:30 p.m.
Aug. 19;at Brownsburg;10 a.m.
Aug. 22;vs. Whiteland;5:30 p.m.
Aug. 24;vs. Franklin Central;6 p.m.
Aug. 26;at Lawrence Central;10 a.m.
Aug. 29;at Mt. Vernon;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 5;at New Castle;6 p.m.
Sept. 7;vs. Shelbyville;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 9;vs. Lawrence North;10 a.m.
Sept. 12;at Greenwood;6 p.m.
Sept. 14;at Greenfield-Central;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 16;at Delta;12 p.m.
Sept. 21;vs. Carmel;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 26;at Franklin Community;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 28;vs. Pendleton Heights;5:30 p.m.
