KICK IT UP – Luke Stender, left, volleys the ball away from Sean Morrison during a four-on-four, five-minute scrimage Wednesday morning, Aug. 13.

Soccer season warms up with a full team of experience, last year’s I-90 conference championship title and one new recruit – Maree Flemming, senior. Seven seniors – including Jake Roddy who made all-state – return with last year’s title under their belts and a good touch on the ball, said head coach Craig Black.

The biggest challenge is the low number of participants this year,  he said. Regardless, the team could repeat as I-90 conference champ. “They are faster and stronger than last year. (They are) playing smarter and stronger,” he said.

The most challenging team he foresees is Sioux Falls Christian, but it graduated a fair amount of seniors, he said. In the conference, he says Freeman Academy, Freeman; James Valley Christian, Huron; and St. Thomas More, Rapid City, present tough teams.

Custer’s soccer team had its first day of practice Aug. 11 in preparation for its first games: Freeman Academy on Friday at 5 p.m. and Vermillion High School, Vermillion on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both games are away at the competitors’ schools.

Last May, soccer players Jared Foote, Louis Hachmeister and Jake Schmacher graduated. Nikolas Alebrand and Reuben Becker who played last season were foreign exchange students. Schumacher and Foote were all-state.

Foote signed to run track at South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings. Schmacher  also enrolled at SDSU. Hachmeister plans to attend Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minn. 

Jake Roddy, Travis March, Jared Fischer, Hilary Fischer, Miriam Burden, Matt Kostelecky and Daniel Davis return as seniors. Jessica Smith, a senior, may be out for the season due to a knee injury, said Black.

Luke Roddy, sophomore, and Kostelecky will play football and Jessica Tennyson, sophomore, will run cross country as well as soccer.

“They are a real enjoyable group of kids. They are pretty competitive and are looking forward to a real enjoyable season,” said Black.