Washington preview
After taking a look at the Division I schools in Maryland, let’s take a spin with the Division III teams. Today’s entry is the seventh and last of a week-long series taking a look at each of the seven Division III programs in this state according to alphabetical order. Today’s subject is Washington.
Overview: After opening the 2009 campaign with eight victories in the first nine games, the Shoremen limped to the finish line, winning just once in the last seven contests. Back-to-back, one-goal losses to Salisbury in the annual War on the Shore and Gettysbury in the Centennial Conference Tournament semifinals were especially grating because Washington were so close to winning with eight or nine freshman playing pivotal roles. "My team's not happy with the way last year ended," coach J.B. Clarke said. "... It's a lot easier to motivate these guys because I don't have to."
Reason for optimism: Graduating four-starter Jimmy Kielek (23 goals and a team-high 28 assists last season) from the attack will hurt, but senior and Broadneck graduate Brendan O'Leary (21, 10) and junior and Boys' Latin product Josh Perlow (team-high 25 goals and five assists) are back. Clarke is especially high on freshman Matt Lewis (Glenelg Country), who is expected to join O'Leary and Perlow as starters. "Big, strong, athletic, tough, almost like a hockey player-type of attackman," Clarke said. "He's drastically different from Jimmy in that he's more of a bull-dodger type, while Jimmy was more of a perimeter player. I'm really excited about Matt Lewis."
Reason for pessimism: For the past three years, Washington had the luxury of leaning on goalkeeper Gordon Cohen, who posted a 7.20 goals-against average and a .631 save percentage en route to being named the Division III Goalie of the Year. Cohen is gone, and it's up to sophomore Peter Stewart (St. Mary's) and freshman Matt Miller (Calvert Hall) to fill the void. Stewart is a left-hander who is quick with his hands and feet, while Miller -- at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds -- is a righty who fills the net. "We've got a heck of a battle going on," Clarke said. "It's going to be a tough decision. You might see both of them throughout the year."
Keep an eye on: A defense that allowed just 7.22 goals per game will miss a pair of starting defensemen in Pat Healy (team-high 17 caused turnovers and 31 groundballs) and Eric Shea (28 groundballs) and Cohen. Senior and Bel Air graduate Bobby Baur will start again, and sophomores Bryan Botti (Hereford) and Jack Vermeil (the grandson of former NFL coach and Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil) are among the candidates to join Baur and solidify this unit. "Physically, athletically, I have all the confidence in the world," Clarke said of the defense. "Right now, communication is our biggest issue. Gordie Cohen started in the goal for us, and he's a loudmouth. So not only do you lose the communication among the defensemen who have been out there a lot, but you also lose that communication [from the goalie]. So right now, it's an open-your-mouths situation."
What he said: On not getting much preseason attention, Clarke said, "Sometimes, it's good to be the team that's not known. I'm really excited about this group, and I'm not just saying that. I'd tell you if I thought we stunk. We go out there every day in practice, and I don't know who to put the long pole on in the midfield, and I don't know who to put our best defenseman on in the attack. I think we're going to have a lot of guys with a bunch of goals as opposed to two or three guys with all of our goals."
