It's been a very good three years for Pinkerton boys soccer.
Well, almost. The team has lost just 16 games in the last three seasons, and only dropped one last year. But the problem is that in the last three postseasons, Pinkerton has fallen by one goal in two state finals and a semifinal.
This year's team — headed by last year's leading scorer, Omar Khartabil, and captain Kenny Kolbeck, the best defenseman and arguably best overall player in New Hampshire — doesn't want to suffer the same fate.
"Well, we actually have been speaking about that," said Khartabil, who scored 12 goals and 15 assists from midfield last autumn. "Last year, we were 16-0 (in the regular season). It was tough and we didn't know what it was to be down. We didn't know how to adapt to the game as well. That kind of killed us. Once we went down a goal, we didn't know how to work as a team."
Already, the Astros are striving to be better when trailing.
"We've been training for that in the preseason," Khartabil said. "Hopefully this year we're going to be able to win the championship."
It doesn't seem like a far-off prospect. The team went 18-1 last year and conceded just 15 (.79 per match), recording five clean sheets along the way. The Astros allowed two goals in a match just three times. Almost all of that team, save for a handful graduated seniors, is back.
"I think we lost probably four (regulars) at most," Khartabil said. "We have a new upcoming freshman and a few sophomores. We always have a few kids from each grade to keep the (winning) product going. That's what we're looking forward to."
Khartabil will form a midfield partnership with co-captain Corey Grant, with Alex Germaine heading the attack and pacy newcomer Donald Dane providing some of the width and outside danger that Pinkerton lacked at times last season. Khartabil said the focus for the Astros will be more on possession than dazzling displays of individual speed and skill that saw the offense score 61 goals (3.2 per match). If that number can be improved upon, and Khartabil believes it can, the team's average margin of victory could be frightening.
"Corey Grant and I in the middle are going to be quite lethal," Khartabil said matter-of-factly. "Alex Germaine will be one of our strikers and he's going to be very good. I think we're going to play more at the feet as a team. Last year we were just kicking the ball downfield and running after it. It was more like an Olympic event. This year Donald Dane gives us awesome speed on the wing.
Last year we were very, very good, but our starting 11 was the key component. This year, we have a deeper bench and the whole team will be better."
Astros coach Kerry Boles also opted to carry a smaller roster than last year, with just 16 players.
"This year we're losing quite a bit of seniors," said Khartabil. "I think the coaches' mind set is to train the freshmen and sophomores (for the future). We only took 16 players on the squad so we can all have more playing time."
History may not be on the team's side, but Khartabil said that doesn't matter. The Astros will know how to play from behind, and that, he said, will make all the difference.
"With Kenny and Corey as captains and a lot of very good seniors who are good leaders, we will be able to pull through as the team," he said. "I think it's a mental obstacle. We're so used to winning. We aren't prepared to be down, mentally, but we will be. We're still going to give that extra effort. We haven't won it since '95. All the senior boys are ready. We're going to give it all we have."
History of heartbreak
Year%Final record%Details
2005%11-8-1%Lost Class L final%After an 8-7-1 regular season, the Astros staged an improbable postseason run to make the finals for first time since 1995 before losing to Concord, 2-1.
2006%15-3-2%Lost Class L final%The Astros reached the Class L final for the second straight season, once again losing by a single goal, 1-0 to Exeter.
2007%18-1%Lost Class L semifinal%Went into Class L semifinal with Londonderry undefeated, but blew a late lead and lost 2-1 in overtime.
