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Ragin' Bulls face early tests with the hope it will make them better later on

By Steve Winzenread | Independent Tribune

Published: August 27, 2009

HARRISBURG — There's a reason why Hickory Ridge is playing teams like North Mecklenburg and Mooresville in nonconference soccer games.
It's because the Ragin' Bulls want to have success later on.
Following a 2-0 loss to Mooresville on Wednesday night, first-year Hickory Ridge coach Scott Wolfe said: "Games like this are going to make us better in November.
"We certainly have playoff aspirations. This team has made the playoffs each of the last two years, but just fizzled. We want to make that next step. ... We were better tonight than we have been the first two games."
The Bulls (1-2) and Blue Devils played a scoreless first half.
But Mooresville scored almost immediately in the second half, then added a penalty kick for the final margin.
"Against a very physical team like Mooresville, we've got to move well off the ball, which we did in spots tonight, and sort of get the zig and the zag together," Wolfe said. "This early in the season, it's not uncommon to have a little bit of that.
"Sometimes that's the difference between getting a nice clean shot and getting it right to the top of the box and turning it over. We saw a little bit of that tonight."
Statistics were close to even, slightly favoring Hickory Ridge. The Bulls outshot Mooresville 17-15. Junior Drew Andreotti made seven saves in the loss, matching Mooresville's total saves.
"We truly have 11 soccer players," Wolfe said. "We're very junior- and senior-heavy. They have a lot of soccer experience. We think that will help us. That gives us a lot of confidence.
"We know we're going to be competitive. We expect to contend in the (South Piedmont) conference or be in the conversation, we like to say. As long as we can do that and give ourselves a chance, we're where we want to be, at least right now."
Wolfe said he jokes that "we're the clones. We look like we came out of a cookie-cutter. We have a lot of guys who are similar in build and size.
"We're athletic, but we're not super athletic. We're skilled, but we're not incredibly scary to other teams. We are quick enough, but we don't have a burner. We are physical, but we don't have a bruiser.
"We're just kind of solid across the board. But I don't know that anything that we have scares anybody, which can be a blessing and a curse."
Wolfe, who coached at Central Cabarrus previously, took a couple years off from coaching to spend more time at home with a newborn.
"Just taking a break," he said. "Mark (McSwain) and I coached a little bit together at Central. The opportunity was there to slide back in. We thought we'd just give it a shot. They wanted somebody on staff. I teach at the elementary school and Mark is on staff here."
McSwain is the girls soccer head coach at Hickory Ridge, having held that position since the school opened in 2007.
Hickory Ridge won the junior varsity game Wednesday 2-0. Brandon Castillo and Adrian Ike scored the goals, and Ike assisted Castillo's goal. The Bulls are 1-1.