Titles await as adapted soccer tournament turns 25

The Minnesota State High School League will host its 25th adapted soccer state tournament Friday and Saturday at Stillwater High School. Eight teams each from the cognitively impaired (CI) and physically impaired (PI) divisions will compete for titles. Here is a look at three metro teams:

The Robins entered the 2017 season with a proven goaltender but an otherwise relatively inexperienced roster. It didn't take them long to figure out how to work together.

The Robins went 9-0 this season in the four-team PI North Division. They will be a top seed at the state tournament, which will include all eight teams in the PI Division, a placement coach Marcus Onsum credits in part to his new players.

"They just gelled right out of the gate," Onsum said, adding that the team noticed its potential early on. "I think it just compelled everyone to work as hard as they could and figure things out."

Senior forward Calvin Gerdt, a newcomer, led the Robins in scoring with 28 goals and 13 assists. Freshman newcomer Sam Roles was second in scoring with 19 goals and two assists. Goaltender Vincent Luu, a junior, had a save percentage of 91.7. Onsum also praised the play of defensive specialist Izear Joiner, a junior.

Onsum said the team is feeling pretty good about its chances at state. However, the Robins haven't played undefeated Dakota United yet, he noted.

Park Center coach Kelli Waalk figured 2017 would be a rebuilding season for her team, after it lost four key players to graduation.

Park Center went 8-1-1 during the regular season and tied for first in the 10-team CI North Division. The team beat Minnetonka/Wayzata 15-2 on Thursday in the CI Division playoffs.

Waalk credited the strong year in part to tough practices, good conditioning and a new goalie.

"Once we got people into the right positions, we got on a roll," she said.

Waalk found a goalie in five-year starter Paige Faber, a senior co-captain who had previously played offense until this year. The team also received contributions from junior center Philip Worzie, and sophomore Alfred Konneh, who scored over 30 goals. Sophomore Jose Guiterrez-Peralta has also played well, Waalk said.

She noted that Park Center has fewer kids than most teams, which helps the players stay well-conditioned. Her players spend a lot of time scrimmaging against the coaches and former players.

The Southern Stars went 11-0 in the regular season to lead the 10-team CI South Division. Coach Brad Miller credited the team's resurgence to the players learning how to play their respective positions and sticking to their areas on defense.

"The kids are really open to learning," Miller said. "If someone does have to switch spots, [a teammate] will remind them where they have to be in a polite way."

It's a level of teamwork that's led the Southern Stars to one of their best years ever. The team allowed four goals in the regular season while scoring 124. First-year player Nathan Castaneda scored over 30 goals. Junior goaltender Tyler Johnson allowed just three goals.

Senior co-captain Austin Moore has anchored the defense, along with junior Julian Torres Cortes. "The ball hardly even gets to our goalie sometimes between those two," Miller said.