District runner-up expected to motivate for next year

Tippecanoe boys soccer coach Joel Slyman looked back on the season that ended a couple of weeks ago, a loss in the district finals to Hamilton Badin after finishing third in the Miami Valley League. Even with losing a lot of firepower from the previous year, Slyman wasn’t really sure what to expect back in August when things got started.

“Last year, we graduated eight of the 12 starters and almost 65% of the scoring, then you look at this year’s team and expectations were….you didn’t really know,” Slyman said. 

“We had a great regular season, but you remember your last loss and it stings. If you had to say we had a chance to win a district final against a team with one loss, you are taking that. I loved this team, they loved going to practice and they worked hard. They were committed to getting better.”

“There is only one team who ends up being happy when the season ends (the state champion), and sure we came up a little bit short, but it was overall a great season.”

Tipp fell short of capturing the MVL title this season, but Slyman said with the younger kids who gained a lot of experience, things look good again for the tradition to continue with the Red Devils.

“We fell short of reaching some of our goals this season of not winning a conference or district title, but I am happy with what we put out there and the leadership of bringing on the 15 freshmen we had into the program,” he said. “We have some optimism.”

“It almost spoils you a little bit when in three of the last six years, we have been in a state championship game, and guys sometimes think they can just show up and the product will take care of itself and that’s not the case.”

“With next year’s crew, we don’t have any of the guys who have been a part of a state championship and we should have some hunger because they don’t know what it takes. They have to work toward it. I think this year’s team did that but the offseason work ethic needs to be strong.”

Cam Smith was the main offensive player all season, and Slyman knew he would have to produce for the team to succeed, and he did.

“We knew going into the year, Cam was someone we were going to have to rely on to get scoring opportunities,” the Tipp coach said. “He is a tremendous player and knows what it takes. He put the team on his back and there is a reason he is tied for fifth in total points in a single season, that is the kind of season we needed from him.’

“Kaleb Logan had double digit goals after being a defender last year, and he came out of nowhere to score for us and was one who really stepped up, as did Maddox Robinson from his sophomore to his junior year and he will be a guy we will count on heavily to score some goals next year.”

Slyman knows what it takes to win big games, and he stated the preparation for the guys in the offseason is just to get better, while many will play club soccer.