What a difference a year can make.
Just a little more than 12 months ago, the Milford High School boys soccer team was on the verge of not having a 2009 season. Only six players were returning from the previous season, but before the year started, the Spartans were able to bring the number of players up to 15 – 12 of whom were freshmen or sophomores.
The season was saved, but it was a tough one, as Milford compiled a 1-15 record in 2009. The roster grew to 22 players by the end of the year, and only two graduated. This year, head coach Jim Tallarico hoped to get about 30 players out for the team.
Instead, he got 43. Not only are the Spartans able to field a varsity team this year, they’ll have a junior varsity squad for the first time since 2007. The only problem is 23 of those players have never played high school soccer before this year.
“Milford still fields a young team and is in the second year of a complete rebuilding program,” Tallarico said. “There has been noted improvement however there is still a long way to go.”
Tallarico believes that if the new players continue to develop and learn to play a “possession-oriented style of play,” the Spartans could return to where they were in 2007 and 2008, when they made the playoffs.
Milford will have to go through a tough Division II schedule to get there. The Spartans play defending-champion Hanover, Oyster River, Bedford and Hollis/Brookline, along with two games each against Souhegan and Con-Val. Milford will also take on division newcomers Windham, Sanborn, Goffstown and Trinity.
Fourteen players return for Milford, including seniors Mark Hamilton and Eric Neilson. Joining them are juniors Richie Moore, Wes Walker, Kevin Poulter, Kyle Joyce, Kyle Merrill, Dakota Richard, Hunter Philbrick and Jacob Kirby, along with sophomores Ben Lambert, Nick Smart, Nick Simo and Steven Tallarico.
Among the newcomers are seniors Mike Mitchell, Kyle Duball, Ryan Duball, Devin Wiig and Luke Rocknak.
Milford opens the season by hosting Con-Val at 4:15 p.m. on Friday.