The Eudora boys soccer team enters this season with a core group of returners and a solid nucleus of young talent, as the Cardinals set their sights on an improved 2022 campaign.
The Cardinals already played one match this season, which was a 2-0 defeat on the road at Lansing, but nonetheless the team feels its best play is still in front of them heading into their first full week of play.
With a majority of the roster returning from last year’s squad, team chemistry is an area that Eudora will look to use to their advantage.
“We train all summer so we’re with them all the time,” head coach Darren Erpelding said. “We’re ahead of where we were a year ago in terms of a lot of different things. Right now we’re pretty happy with where we are at.”
One of the Cardinals’ returnees is senior captain Parker Hurla, who led the team a season ago with 21 goals and 12 assists.
The Cardinals will rely on Hurla both offensively to score with him being the attacking midfielder, as well as for leadership, playing against a tough conference schedule in 4A play.
Looking to score as much as he did in 2021, Hurla wants to see his teammates thrive in the varsity spotlight.
“We have a lot of chemistry, and I think that’s what’s going to help us lead us through this season and into the playoffs,” Hurla said. “What makes a team good the most is how close we are.”
Along with Hurla, junior Christian Koehn looks to lead the Cardinals as the middle playing centerback. He also shares the importance of connecting as a group early.
“I’m very excited for the team chemistry that we have,” Koehn said. “I’d say I can lead my team with just being someone that they can look upon.”
As the Cardinals head into the heart of the schedule, Eudora aims to have a better record than they had last fall, which was a 13-5-1 finish, and an appearance in the KSHSAA 4A East Region Quarterfinal round.
With a deep playoff run set in sights, Erpelding is excited to see what his team can accomplish as the players continue to build camaraderie with each other.
“The thing that I love, and I enjoy watching, is these guys just come together,” Erpelding said. “We want people to see that we have a togetherness and a brotherhood. It’s a really exciting year.”
The team plays at 6 p.m. today (Thursday) against Piper.
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Reach reporter Gus Baylow at [email protected].
