Bulldogs boys soccer looks to keep success going

After a strong showing last year that ended in a loss to Webster City in the Class 2A Substate 2 championship game. The Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs boys soccer team has its eyes set on repeating that success. The Bulldogs went 11-6 last year and heading into this season head coach Danielle Arana said that when it comes to the returning players this season that while they had playing time that some of the returning players were not starters. So the team is adjusting to the changes.

“So this year we are working on becoming one flawless group,” Arana said. “That can work together really well and can flow together really well.”

One goal for the Bulldogs this year according to Arana is to come together as a team. Arana said that the returning players got to learn a lot from last season and that this season is their time to step up. 

“We just have to get them all on the same page and get that chemistry built,” Arana said. “So they work hard as a team and some of them were part of the success last year. They learned a lot and I can reflect on things with them from last year so we can learn from that and teach lessons from last year whether it be something we did great or something we have to work on.”

The Bulldogs started the season with a 4-3 win over Iowa Falls-Alden on March 28. The Bulldogs were down 2-1 at halftime but outscored Iowa Falls-Alden 3-1 in the second half.

With starting the season off with a win, one positive for Arana was how the team was able to adjust and use what she said at halftime to their advantage.

“A positive is that we can see what we have to work on and we have a quick recovery on changing some of those things,” Arana said. “The fact that we can fix things so quickly is hopefully allows us to learn from every game that we have played and be stronger the next game.”

Arana said that she thinks that this season the team has the most overall talent during her time as the coach.

“I think when it all clicks and they are all in one motion with each other that it is going to be a really good year,” Arana said. “Another goal is for us to beat one of the two teams that took us out last year. We lost to Humboldt twice and Webster City twice and then a third time to knock us out of the opportunity to go to state. Our goal and our hope is to be better than those teams this year.”

Arana said that she thinks the returning players are adjusting to their new roles and that their confidence is growing after the first game.

“I think that they always had the talent it is that they were shadowed a little bit by some cor players last year so I am really just working on their confidence to take in the place that this is you now,” Arana said. “A handful of them are still juniors so this is their time to grow and to come into place and I think that after the first game that they were really starting to get that feeling. I think they are doing well stepping into those places.

As the season moves along, Arana said she would like to see the Bulldogs work on their quick passing and building their chemistry.

“I hope they can be more consistent while passing between them and I think if they can do that then and we get there by the middle of the season that it is going to be a lot more helpful and useful for the postseason when we are playing the stronger teams,” Arana said.

The team’s next game is on the road on April 4 at Webster City at 7:30 p.m.