The Caldwell County boys’ soccer team surged down the stretch in 2016, winning its last four regular-season games and topping Hopkins County Central in the first round of the 7th District tournament. The Tigers finished 9-10-1 overall, losing 3-0 to Madisonville-North Hopkins in the district title game before falling to Hopkinsville 11-1 in the first round of the 2nd Region tournament. They scored 48 goals while allowing 83, the third-highest total among region teams.
Five seniors graduated after last season, including team-leading scorer Mitchell Scott. Scott racked up 32 goals, almost seventy percent of the team’s offense. Senior Collin Shaffer’s 3 goals are the most for any returning player and his 8 assists led the team. Other returning starters include seniors Jack Kinsolving (MF), forward Brycen Bannister, defenders Nate Paredes and Michael Henry and goalkeeper Barett Schultz. Schultz returns in the goal for the Tigers as one of the top shot-stoppers in the 2nd Region. Junior Josh Hagan is back in the Tigers’ back line, and coach Alan Shaffer will also look to a trio of freshmen to contribute, with Blake Vivrette moving into the midfield, Ethan Weatherspoon in an attacking position, and Hunter Trimble helping shore up the defense.
Caldwell opened the season with a 9-1 home loss to Webster County (2-0) on Tuesday night, and will be back in action on Thursday with a match at Paducah Tilghman (0-1). The Tigers and the Blue Tornado tied 1-1 in Princeton last season.