The Vero Beach High varsity boys soccer team trampled Fort Pierce Westwood by a score of 8-0 last week before leaving town to play in the Capital City Classic neutral tournament over the weekend in Tallahassee.
The Fighting Indians record after the Westwood match was not very gaudy at 4-5-2. They defeated Treasure Coast and tied Palm Beach Gardens in District 10-5A with battles this week at Centennial and Fort Pierce Central. That will leave but one more district game on the schedule in January.
“We are sitting pretty in our district at 1-0-1,” Head Coach Christopher Fonehouse said before the Centennial and Central games. “If you look at our schedule each and every year, you realize that I am a firm believer in making it tough so we are prepared going into the district tournament and eventually the state tournament.
“If you look at our defeats, they have been close with the exception of a 5-0 loss to Montverde Academy, which is the No. 1 team in the nation (TopDrawerSoccer.com). I have a very competitive squad that gives me everything they have each and every game.”
Difficulty is not the only unfavorable factor in the team’s schedule so far. The Central game this Friday is the first this season on friendly turf. The entire slate was on the road until that point. That will switch around next month when the final six contests before the district tournament are at home.
Fonehouse has been the head coach at Vero for six years. He comes from an accomplished soccer background having earned a scholarship to play at Siena College in upstate New York. After graduation he moved to Boston and went to law school. “I was an attorney for 10 years and got burnt out because of the amount of hours I was working,” Fonehouse explained. “My parents retired down here and I wanted to be closer to them. I needed a change of scenery and relocated from Boston. Then the door just opened up for this opportunity.
“Now I not only coach but I also teach at the high school. I teach AP History, Honors U.S. History and Comprehensive Law Studies, which is a new course that was basically created for me to take on.”
This season Fonehouse has also taken on a roster of 24 soccer players distributed rather equally over the four high school classes. Most coaches at this level prefer to construct their teams that way.
“Every year we try to maintain similar amounts of upperclassmen and underclassmen,” the coach said. “That way the program constantly keeps developing to the point where hopefully one day we bring home a state title. That’s basically what we are looking for.”
Through eleven games goal scoring was sparse with the exception of the eight that hit the net vs. Westwood. That evened the total number of tallies for the season at 18 both for and against. Vero has been shut out four times, one more than the number of blanks recorded in their favor. Goals have come at a premium for both sides.
“Soccer is probably the most unique game,” Fonehouse said. “The best team doesn’t always win because goals are so hard to come by.”
Senior Matt Metz and junior Keegan Ashcroft provided a pair of goals and an assist apiece in the outburst at Westwood for the offensive highlights of the season so far.
“This year is probably the best year I’ve had on the soccer team,” Metz told us. “It’s less stressful because I’m a senior and I’m just trying to have fun and go out on a good note. I’ve been starting on the varsity since I was a freshman. This year we lost a few players but we’re still looking good.
“Our losses were to some of the best teams in the state and the No. 1 team in the nation. The schedule has toughened us up. It will help us improve and get ready for the rest of the season. Hopefully we will peak at the end of the year. I think we will be able to make it to states. That’s where it counts.”
Junior Wesley Alexander took over in goal for senior Kyle Barkett. “We needed additional field players and Kyle was forthcoming,” Fonehouse said. “He is doing what needs to be done for the benefit of the team.
“The bulk of my seniors are highly competitive and very talented. Metz, Barkett, Tyler Rogers and Kaden Diniz have been with me primarily as four-year starters. We really don’t have one individual who is a standout with reference to scoring.
“On defense our starting core is Rogers, Bennett O’Brien, Jaret Dunton and Bennett Collins. O’Brien, a senior, has been a four-year starter on defense. Jaret is a junior and this is the second season he has been playing in the back. Collins, a sophomore, is really finding himself this year. We have a nice blend of youth and elders back there.”