Huntingdon men’s soccer team ready to open season

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon men's soccer team spent much of the preseason working to develop a strong chemistry.

With more than 20 new faces in the program this season and a new coaching staff, developing a strong team unity was an important first step.

"I think a lot of the younger guys are getting more comfortable in their roles and the older guys are getting more comfortable playing with the new players," first-year Huntingdon coach Timmy McCormack said. "We still have a lot of improvement to make. But that's always the case in the first part of the season. We're not going to be perfect when we step out there for the first game, but as long as we're improving each day, I feel like we're heading in the right direction."

The Hawks open the season at LaGrange College on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

"LaGrange is well coached and I think this will be a good test for us," McCormack said. "They're a rival. We were in the same conference for several years and they're only 90 miles away. Playing at their field under the lights on opening night, that's going to be a great test to see how a lot of our new guys react."

McCormack said, regardless of how this season starts, he expects his players to stay focused on season-long improvement.

"I think our kids are pretty level-headed and are on an even keel," McCormack said. "So, whether we win a few games to start the season or lose a few games to start, we're going to be the same team. We're going to keep working hard and try to get better each day."