After missing the playoffs each of the past two seasons, Memorial Sea-Hawks men’s soccer coach Jake Stanford makes no bones about the fact what his team’s goal is heading into the 2020 Atlantic University Sport season.
“Playoffs … 100 per cent,” Stanford said. “I think that’s where we should be. It’s what you push for as players and as a coaching staff every year.
“Now, those words might come back and bite me in the butt, but if you’re not pushing for that, there’s no sense being in the league.”
When a new AUS campaign gets under way is anyone’s guess, because of COVID-19. The Sea-Hawks’ men’s and women’s soccer teams were set to open the new season Sept. 12-13 at King George V Park in St. John’s against Mount Allison University. But that’s changed, given an announcement from Memorial earlier this month which stated while the university is “welcoming” new and returning students in the fall, it will be to a, “primarily remote teaching and learning environment for the fall semester. Full in-person, on-campus courses will not resume before January 2021.”
It’s not certain where this leaves varsity sports, but Stanford and women’s soccer varsity coach Mike Power are still busy piecing together rosters and plans for a new season.
The men’s Sea-Hawks’ team last made the playoffs in 2017 when the squad went 5-6-1 before losing 3-0 to the University of New Brunswick in the quarter-finals.
Memorial was 3-6-3 last season, and 1-8-3 in 2018.
But there’s a bit of a roster turnover this upcoming season, and Stanford likes what he sees coming in.
Leading the way is Felly Elonda of St. John’s, who was the top midfielder and Challenge Cup MVP last summer.
The Feildians’ star was also the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association’s player of the year. Elonda transfers from the University of Moncton. He sat out AUS play last season because of the transfer.
“He will be a game-changer, 100 per cent,” Stanford said. “He can change the dynamic of our squad, attacking-wise.”
Keeper Sam Hawco is back in the Sea-Hawks’ nest after taking a break from intercollegiate play last season. Hawco, of Holy Cross, was the top keeper in Challenge Cup play last summer and MVP of the Challenge Cup final.
Lawn native Brent Hennebury also joins the Sea-Hawks’ fold. Hennebury booted four goals for the St. Lawrence Laurentians in Challenge Cup last summer. As a 16-year-old in 2016, he scored the winning goal in overtime in the Challenge Cup championship game, giving St. Lawrence a 2-1 win over Mount Pearl.
Stanford will also have some new blood, in the form of five high schoolers — Clarenville’s Cabhan O’Keefe, who will play for St. Lawrence this summer; Nova Scotian Caleb Mercer; Hasheem Khalifa of St. John’s, who has suited up for Holy Cross in Challenge Cup; Josh Power of the Goulds and Gabriel Lage, who transfers up from the United States.
“The bottom line in the AUS is that it does take a high school player a period of time to adjust,” Stanford said. “But I do expect a few of those boys to push for a starting spot because I think there will be a few spots open.
“But again, you have to realize as a coach that sometimes it takes a year for these players to come into their own at this level.
“They’ll bring a positive energy to the squad which is important.”
Prior to the shutdown as a result of COVID-19, the Sea-Hawks trained in January and February, and played some exhibition games.
“I really liked what I saw,” Stanford said.
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