The DIAA boys soccer state tournament is certainly not unfamiliar territory for the Caesar Rodney High School team, but it most definitely is for some of this year’s players.
After losing six of their 2008 starting players to graduation, the Riders (11-3-1, 9-3-1) enter the tournament with a starting group of players whose playoff experience begins and ends with watching from the bench last season.
It will be a trial-by-fire for Head Coach Darrell Gravatt’s team, but he said that isn’t anything different from what CR has gone through all season.
“We had to go through some tough losses early to learn, but we got through them,” he said. “I’m not sure that it could’ve been avoided. We had a lot of new faces in the starting lineup and kids that were unsure in their positions.
“We just weren’t gelling. We were missing something in that cohesive unit trait.”
The Riders have pulled together nicely after opening the season 4-3, as they have not lost since Oct. 1, going 7-0-1 since that date.
As the team’s players started to get more comfortable in their new roles, Gravatt said the confidence started to grow and spread, helping CR win games it might not have early in the season.
“Middletown was a very good team and if we had gotten them in the beginning of the season I’m not sure we would beat them,” he said, referring to the team’s 2-1 win Nov. 3. “I’m not sure that we had that in us early.”
The Riders drew the No. 9 seed in the tournament and will face No. 8 St. Elizabeth High School (12-2-1) at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Caravel Academy.
With the majority of starters lacking playoff experience, senior co-captain Jesse Marano said there undoubtedly will be some nerves that come into play in the first round.
“You always get those butterflies before the game,” Marano said. “Everyone is going to be nervous, but especially the newcomers.”
The Riders did not face St. Elizabeth at all this season, and Gravatt admitted he does not know much about the first-round opponent.
Even through scouting and tournament play, the two teams’ paths have yet to cross this year, Gravatt said, which should make CR’s job a bit more difficult.
“On paper it looks like a pretty even match-up,” he said. “We’re not going to worry too much about scouting them though and just go out and play our game. We’ll defend and attack how we always defend and attack.”
