From the moment juniors on the Duluth East boys soccer team came off the U.S. Bank Stadium field after taking third in the 2017 Class AA state tournament, a resolve began building to win it all as seniors.
When new coach Corey Bachand took over during August practices, he fostered and emboldened that attitude.
And when the Greyhounds went 19 games without losing and repeated as Section 7AA champions this season, that feeling of confidence was in full bloom.
"We have a goal to be state champs, we have a goal to be No. 1, we have a goal to be the best," senior midfielder and first-team All-State selection Seth Hoffman said before practice Wednesday. "We got third place last year and were disappointed because we wanted more. The guys coming back wanted more, and adding Corey - he's hungry and a good coach - so we put our eyes on this year that this was the year that we were going to do it."
Top-ranked East (17-0-2) begins its quest with a quarterfinal against unseeded Centennial (15-3-1) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Chisago Lakes Area High School. The winner advances to U.S. Bank Stadium for the semifinals next Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Greyhounds haven't shied away from their lofty status, in fact they embrace it.
"We're confident, we're playing well and we're healthy," Bachand said. "Every time I give the boys a challenge in a practice or a game, they respond. We are working well as a unit. These guys are a close-knit family and they all have one goal in mind: we want to win it."
Bachand's bravado, a throwback to a previous age of coaching, has resonated with his players.
"I've tried to put a lot of confidence in the boys," he said. "You can try to eliminate that fear factor that holds a lot of players back. They haven't experienced enough of it so they are so scared of it, but when you just blast through it you can get more confidence."
It helps to have players such as Hoffman and Will Francis, the school's all-time leading goal-scorer, in the fold. Having played three state tournament games a year ago - Centennial is making its debut - doesn't hurt, either.
"We're more ready this year because last year we were super shaky going into it. We thought it was the coolest thing ever," Francis said. "This year we're more ready and more confident. And having new coaches has been great for our team."
Francis has 25 goals for East this season, but that's three fewer than the Cougars' Demetrius Bernardy-Nelson.
Still, East is confident it can limit the junior's success.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I think if we shut him down, we should be fine," Hoffman said. "I don't think we are going to mark him, just be aware of where he is."
While wary of Bernardy-Nelson's talent, Bachand believes his defenders are the perfect antidote.
"He's heavy on the right foot and scores a lot of set balls for them. He's around the ball and is dangerous and reminds me a lot of Will, though Will is left-footed," Bachand said. "But defensively, and in our midfield, I don't think he's seen anybody with our strength to shut that down and our ability to close the gap so quickly that he won't have the time that he's used to.
"I feel really good about the matchup. With our speed and our depth, if one player beats us, we don't belong there."
The players, in their typical bold manner, agree with their coach and plan to turn the tables on the underdogs.
"We're going to come at them with everything that we have," Francis said.
BOYS SOCCER STATE TOURNAMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
CENTENNIAL (15-3-1) AT DULUTH EAST (17-0-2)
What: Class AA state tournament quarterfinal
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Chisago Lakes Area H.S., Lindstrom, Minn.
