Swampscott boys soccer looks to build on successful 2011 season

The 2011 boys soccer season saw the Swampscott Big Blue reach the state tournament for the first time in three years. Despite bowing out in the first round to Bedford, the idea of the entire offense returning for the 2012 season left head coach Eric Robinson with great optimism for the upcoming season.”I was very, very happy with the way we performed last season, and getting back to the state tournament,” said Robinson of the team’s turnaround. “As a team, we are entering this season with a mindset of bigger and better things.”With the return of the entire offense, bigger and better things seem more than attainable. Senior captain/midfielder Erick Verdu enters his final season as the key cog in the offensive unit. Verdu finished 2011 with 15 goals and eight assists.”He’s the centerpiece to our offense,” explained Robinson of his star player. “When he doesn’t go, the offense doesn’t go. When the offense doesn’t go, he has to be the one to get them going.”Robinson is also relying on senior forward Kendrick Simpson and senior midfielder Matt Turner to ease some of the pressure on Verdu.The X-factor in the Big Blue’s season is going to be on the defensive side of the ball, where Swampscott lost nearly everyone to graduation. As Robinson put it, “the defense is a work in progress with a bunch of younger guys having to step up.”Senior Ethan Rosen will be called upon to guide the young and inexperienced defensive unit while a competition to name a starting goalie still rages on. Senior Val Temin and junior Evan Scourtas are fighting for the chance to be between the pipes on Sept. 13, when the Big Blue host arch rival Marblehead.”Neither goalie has played soccer in four years, so the competition is really wide open,” said Robinson of the position battle.With so many questions looming about the defense, Robinson has adopted a “take it day by day approach.””The biggest change we’re going to see this year is experience level,” he said. “All we can do is go a game at a time and put in the effort in practice and see where it takes us.”As for postseason plans?”Absolutely I expect to be there,” said the coach of his state tournament expectations. “It would be disappointing if we miss the state tournament.”