2023 Season Preview: Gents Soccer

On Friday a new month begins and with that, so does a brand-new season for the Centenary men's soccer program.

September 1 is the start of what head coach Kevin White hopes is a successful campaign for the Maroon and White and it all begins in Clarksville, Ark. with a non-conference contest against the University of the Ozarks Eagles at 4:30 p.m.

White, entering his third season at the helm, is excited about the challenges that lie ahead for him and his team.

"We as a coaching staff are very excited about this group of freshmen and transfers we have brought in this year," said White. I think they will add quality and depth to a good core group of returning players from last year."

"Our non-conference schedule has some quality opponents with two challenging away fixtures at Ozarks and at Birmingham Southern. We open conference play with three straight playoff-caliber opponents at home so we are looking forward to that challenge."

Centenary finished 2-9-6 overall and 1-6-1 in SCAC play in 2022 and the highlight of the season was the Maroon and White landing a record-setting four players on the 2022 All-SCAC Men's Soccer Team. The four all-conference selections are the Gents' most since joining the SCAC prior to the 2012 season as the previous mark was three in 2020. Despite the Gents' struggles in 2022, the defense recorded four shutouts and held the opposition to two goals or less eight times during the season. Centenary also recorded a division III era (2011-present) record six ties.

The Gents are scheduled to play 16 regular-season contests, eight at home, seven road matches, and one neutral-site match. Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play begins at home against Colorado College on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. The Gents' first league match on the road is set for Friday, Oct. 13 against The University of Dallas. The Gents will play eight conference matches and eight non-conference matches.  

After the season opener on the road, the Maroon and White will play three-consecutive home matches and play five times at home in the month of September. The Gents will face host Birmingham-Southern College and Berry College in the BSC Fall Classic Sept. 16-17 in Birmingham, Ala. Centenary then heads to Marshall, Texas to face East Texas Baptist University on Thursday, Sept. 21.

The Gents play a pair of conference matches to open the month of October and then hit the road for three-straight SCAC contests before returning home for their annual Senior Night match against Schreiner University on Friday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. Centenary finishes the regular season at Trinity University in San Antonio on Sunday, Oct. 29.

The Gents will rely on a solid group of returnees – junior D Dylan Allred (Lafayette, La.), junior MF Brennan Amato (Denham Springs, La.), senior F/MF Michael Smith (Baton Rouge, La.), junior F Ron Masti (Houston, Texas), senior F Quentin Helm (Denton, Texas), senior F Rene Escobar (Cypress, Texas), senior MF Colton Howard (Keller, Texas), and senior D Adam Bihler (Pittsburgh, Pa.).

Allred played in 16 matches last season and had one assist as he followed up an all-conference rookie campaign with another solid effort. Amato also played in 16 matches (all starts) and finished third on the team with two goals. He was second on the team with three assists as he finished season with seven points (third on team). Both of his goals came in conference play (Oct. 14 at home against Dallas in a 2-0 win and Oct. 29 at St. Thomas in the season finale.

Smith played in 17 games and made 16 starts last season as he tallied one assist in the Gents' season finale at St. Thomas. He was named to the SCAC Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll and the 2022 SCAC Fall All-Sportsmanship Team. Masti Played in 17 games and made 14 starts, scoring four goals which was tied for second on the team. He tied for second on the team with eight points and took 13 shots, nine on goal and converted on his lone penalty kick of the season. He scored goals in consecutive matches against McMurry (Sept. 23) and Texas-Dallas (Sept. 25) and also notched goals against Huntingdon College and Austin College.

Helm played in 14 matches and made two starts. He had one assist and totaled one point, and his assist came in a 1-1 tie against LeTourneau on Sept. 18. Escobar played in five games and took three shots – one on goal and was named to the SCAC Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll. Howard saw action in six matches and scored one goal as he found the net in the Gents' season-opening win over Dallas Christian College on Sept. 1 at home. He finished the season with two points and took three shots (one on goal) and was named to the SCAC Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll. Bihler played in 16 matches and made two starts and scored his first-career goal on Sept. 13 at Belhaven. He finished the season with two points and took three shots - one on goal, and was named to the SCAC Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll.

Junior F Connor Buche (College Station, Texas) played in 11 matches and made five starts as he took five shots with one coming on goal, junior F Gabriel Aragon (Forney, Texas) played in 14 matches and made two starts as he took 10 shots (three on goal). Junior F Odin Munguia (Baton Rouge, La.) played in four matches and made one start and senior D Enrique Hernandez (Beaumont, Texas) played in 15 matches (all starts) in his first season with the Gents and took nine shots with one on goal. Junior D Nick Valero (Dallas, Texas) appeared in four matches last season. Thirteen rookies along with four transfers have bolstered the roster as White and his staff envision the mix of talent and depth to lead to success this fall.

Tommy Haney enters his second season as an assistant coach for the Gents in 2023 and the remainder of the staff is made up of two former Gents' goalkeepers in Kaleb Behm, and Sami Borchalli. Behm, who played for Centenary from 2014-17, serves as the Gents' goalkeeper coach while Borchalli, who completed his impressive career last season, is volunteer goalkeeper coach.

The 2023 SCAC Men's Soccer Championship is scheduled for Nov. 3-5 in Houston and hosted by the University of St. Thomas.

See the complete Gents' schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/schedule

Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.

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