East boys building on semifinal run

Posted 8/27/14

Year one of a new era is often marked by baby steps. The Cranston East boys’ soccer team ran right past those and into a giant leap last season.

In their first year under head coach Richard …

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East boys building on semifinal run

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Year one of a new era is often marked by baby steps. The Cranston East boys’ soccer team ran right past those and into a giant leap last season.

In their first year under head coach Richard Grenier – after six consecutive losing seasons – the ’Bolts won nine games and came up one round shy of the Division III championship game.

Now they’re back for more.

“We have a couple of holes that we have to fill, but we want to build upon the success of last year and even have a better year,” Grenier said. “Hopefully we take that one step further, which would be playing for the Division III championship.”

It’s a lofty goal, but after the strides East took last year, it doesn’t seem like a pipe dream. The ’Bolts hadn’t had a winning season since 2006, when they won the Division II championship. Included in the drought were three consecutive winless campaigns.

Grenier, a longtime coach at Cranston West and West Warwick, inherited a team last year that was on the cusp of major improvement, and the ’Bolts didn’t waste the opportunity. They finished fifth in Division III and won two games in the postseason. There, they nearly upset top-seeded West Warwick but lost 3-2.

Though that was a difficult ending, it sets the stage for more in 2014. East has some needs to address and plenty of work to do, but in terms of the system that made it successful, the ’Bolts already have a leg up.

“This preseason, compared to last year, more of the kids understand our tactical formation and our philosophy,” Grenier said. “Last year, it was certainly a transition year into our system. This year was much better.”

The ’Bolts lost some key players to graduation, including standouts Ben Cruz, Kevin Patel and Kyle Correia, plus goalie Tom Logan.

But their roster of 16 includes a veteran nucleus.

Leading the charge is senior Dennis Vasquez, one of the top players in the state. He finished second in the RIIL in scoring last year and was a second-team All-State selection.

He’ll be a threat to score, but also to set up an improving supporting cast.

“Dennis has been a quality leader already,” Grenier said. “He’s doing a real nice job.”

Other players back with experience include juniors Kevin Donnelly, Patrick Finicane, Thiago Pacheco, Jimmy Vang and Jason Venda. Juniors Keith McAteer and Kevin Pantoga are ready to contribute, as well, along with new seniors Josh Reyes, Andy Gomez and Joel Tolbert. Sophomore Carter Haid and freshmen Ayo George and Gabriel Sotelo could make an impact as well.

The defense must replace Cruz, Patel and Correia, but Grenier is confident in his new group. Finicane returns at sweeper, while Pacheco saw a lot of time at stopper when Correia was injured. They’ll anchor the middle, with Haid, Sotelo and George on the outside.

East also needs a new goalkeeper after an all-division campaign from Logan. Vang, a standout midfielder, could step in, but Grenier would rather develop somebody else and keep Vang in the field. Reyes is penciled in as the starter for now, but junior Jarod Linne and freshman Brandon Franco will be pushing.

“Josh is going to do a nice job, and he’ll give us time to keep developing Jarod and Brandon,” Grenier said. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I used four goalkeepers this year.”

Vang will be a key cog in the midfield, along with Donnelly and Venda. Vasquez can play there or up front, where he’ll be joined by Gomez and Pantoga.

It may take some time for East to fit everything together, but the optimism is still running high.

The ’Bolts are ready for another leap.

“My teams that have been successful at Cranston West and West Warwick, they could run practices themselves,” Grenier said. “As you watch these kids, they’re doing the same thing. The kids have been policing themselves. I talk to them about always working hard and taking no shortcuts and they’ve done a pretty good job with that. They’re enthusiastic about the season.”

East will open with an Injury Fund game on Thursday and a non-league game on Friday at home against West Warwick. League play begins next Wednesday.

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