Southwest Mississippi head men’s soccer coach David Strother lives by a simple formula: If you outshoot a team, you should outscore a team.
Last season, the Bears frequently did the former but not as often the latter. The result was a fourth-place finish in their division and a 5-8-1 overall record and 4-7-1 in the division. All eight of the Bears’ losses last season came by one or two goals.
Strother took a major step to help improve the Bears’ chances of winning those close games when he signed 12 incoming freshmen to help build the team’s depth.
“It was a tough year,” Strother said of the 2008 campaign, “but it motivated us in our recruiting. We have more depth this year, and that’s key with the August heat.
“We were able to bring in a lot more talent,” Strother added. “The players we’re bringing in are a lot more advanced technologically. They’re able to hold on to a possession longer. That will help improve our offense.”
Key newcomers this season include forward Steve Gunnell, whom Strother called “a very crafty and quick creature” who should help pick up the offensive pace.
Gunnell is joined by outside defender David Brown, from Franklin County, and former North Pike High School midfielder Cory Price.
The Bears’ three captains this season are sophomores. Forward Marshall Ngobidi, from Nassau, Bahamas, was the team’s leading scorer and second on the team in assists last season.
Center-back John Adams, from Florence, earned All-State honors last season.
“I’m expecting leadership from both those guys,” Strother said. I’m expecting John to give direction on defense and I’m expecting more goals from Marshall.”
Other veterans include John Paul Price, a midfielder from North Pike High School, and Sam Carter, a defender from Essex, England, who Strother has tagged the team’s third captain due to his semi-pro action in his homeland.
“He’ll be leading the majority of the attack from the left side,” Strother said of Carter.
Another of Strother’s focuses during the offseason was on goalkeeper. So he brought in Brandon Thomas, the placekicker for the Bears’ football team.
Prior to Wednesday’s season opener against East Mississippi, Strother has worked on getting his team into better physical condition with more running, game scenarios and scrimmage time.
“We’re playing without breaks,” he said. “We’re trying to build up that stamina a little bit better.”
As for the district this season, Strother said state runner-up Gulf Coast will have a strong team once again. Gulf Coast went to the state championship last season, but lost to Hines in the final.
Strother said it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the Bears could battle for the division title.
“I put us right up there with Jones as far as our recruiting class,” he said. “We have a strong team this season.”
