There have been a couple big bumps in the road, but overall, = first-year coach=20 Myles Hensler likes what he's seen from the Collinsville soccer = team.
Collinsville was 5-3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Southwestern Conference = heading=20 into Tuesday's home game against Edwardsville. After a 6-1 loss to = Vianney on=20 Sept. 1 and a 7-0 loss to O'Fallon on Sept. 6, the Kahoks got back on = track with=20 a 3-0 win over Metro-East Lutheran on Sept. 7. On Saturday, Collinsville = and=20 Triad played to a 3-3 tie.
"Vianney and O'Fallon are very good teams =E2=80=93 they're = athletic up top and=20 they have speed throughout the midfield and the backfield," Hensler = said. "A lot=20 of our players knew that and came out a little intimidated. We ended up = getting=20 behind by a couple goals early and got beat pretty bad.
"The important thing is that they move up and try to pick their heads = up,=20 learn something from it and get ready for the next game. We won't see = Vianney=20 again, but we hope to get another shot at O'Fallon."
Prior to those two games, Hensler was fairly pleased with the Kahoks' = performance.
"It's going to take time getting used to new coaches and a new style = of=20 play," Hensler said. "I'm emphasizing more of a possession-type style = for the=20 midfield. In order to be successful in the midfield, you've got to have = a lot of=20 movement off the ball. You can tell some players aren't used to that, = but that's=20 the kind of thing we're focusing on.
"Defensively, I'm trying to get them to talk more and have more = communication=20 throughout the back four. The most successful defenses are very = organized and=20 very talkative."
Senior Alex Hoyt (four assists) has been a standout on defense, while = senior=20 Robbie Adams (six goals, one assist) leads the way for the offense.
"We've had some younger players step up, like Donald Link, a freshman = who has=20 started at center back the last couple games," Hensler said. "Another = freshman,=20 Jordan Smith, has gotten some playing time at the left back = position."
Like their coach, Collinsville's players are confident the Kahoks = will bounce=20 back from the losses to Vianney and Triad.
"We need to focus a lot more coming into games," Hoyt said. "There = are a lot=20 of things that need work on defensively, but I think we can develop into = a very=20 good team. We're young on the back line, but we've got a lot of = talent."
The team's performance in its five victories offers further reason = for=20 optimism.
"We're finding the net pretty easily with guys like Robbie, Manny = (Manuel=20 Gomez) and Dom (Dominic Zavaglia)," Hoyt said. "I think it's still = turning out=20 to be a successful season."
A three-year starter at center back, Hoyt made his varsity debut as a = freshman midfielder.
"I'm here for those guys in the back and the defensive-minded = players," Hoyt=20 said. "They kind of look to me for leadership back there. We had leaders = the=20 past three years that helped me get through the process and it's my=20 responsibility to pass it on and keep the system rolling."
Hoyt has played club soccer for Lou Fusz since he was 8.
"Club is a key component to playing at a high level," Hoyt said. "You = get=20 experience in tournaments from 8 to 14 when you come on as a = freshman.
"It's much more physical in high school. As a freshman, you're not = used to it=20 because guys are head and shoulders taller than you and they're bigger = than you=20 strength-wise. It's a very different game."
Link, meanwhile, is making the adjustment to high school soccer.
"It's way more physical than club and there are more athletes up = top," said=20 Link, who has played for Scott Gallagher since he was 8. "It took a = little while=20 to get used to it, but I'm pretty happy with the way I've played. When I = was=20 younger, I played up top, but I've been in the back for a few years now = and I=20 feel comfortable there."
Link feels the Kahoks can contend for the conference title.
"In the O'Fallon game, we kind of broke down after three goals," Link = said.=20 "But if we keep working hard, we can play with anybody."
SOCCER NOTES: Against Triad, Nick Vogler had two = goals and=20 Ryan Raede had one. Triad (4-2-1) got two goals from Troy Wiesemeyer and = one=20 from Cody Kruse.
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