Lamar School reconstructs for 2003-04 soccer season

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Dec. 11, 2003
The No. 4-ranked Lamar School boys' soccer has under gone a face lift for the 2003-04 season.
While the team is not rebuilding, a lot of familiar faces are taking unfamiliar positions on the the field for the Raiders.
Lamar's biggest changes have come on the defensive side of the field.
Scott Owen has moved from forward to goalkeeper for the Raiders this year, and Drew Moffet has been dropped back from his midfield spot from last year into the roll of sweeper.
Owen's move into the net became necessary after the team lost goalkeepers David Culpepper, Blake Smith and John Mutziger to graduation at the end of the last season.
Moffet has switched from quarterbacking the Raiders' transition from defense to offense in the middle of the field to quarterbacking a young defensive corps.
When the new defensive group masters thinking a step ahead to help spark the Raiders' transition to offense, the team will become a dangerous group to contend with on the pitch.
Lamar's offense is still strong, despite the loss of Owen and Moffet to the defensive end of the field.
Led by Dillon Anderson and Randy Boyd Thompson, the Raiders' attackers can create havoc in an opponent's back field.
The Raiders jumped out to a good start for the season winning their first two games against Presbyterian Christian and Hillcrest Christian, with both matches taking place on the road.
Lamar's strong start wasn't a guarantee, since the team didn't have its first full practice until just a few days before its first game.
The Raiders' practices were put on hold, as the football team captured the MPSA Class AAA Division 2 state title.
Though the lack of time together on the pitch before the season was a source of worry for Lamar's coach, Escobar said the football team's championship win has carried over to the soccer.