Seniors keep Rock Bridge soccer team laughing

By Blair Weaver
October 5, 2010 | 10:14 p.m. CDT

COLUMBIA — The Rock Bridge boys soccer team’s seven seniors have managed to balance a winning record of 13-4 while thoroughly enjoying themselves this season.

Rock Bridge defeated Helias 4-2 in overtime penalty kicks Tuesday evening at Rock Bridge. The suspense-filled victory made senior night that much better.

Rock Bridge coach Kyle Austin said he is so close to this group of players that next year will be different without them.

“They’re just a goofy group of boys. They’re a real 'have fun' group off the field but have the ability to intensely focus on the field,” Austin said. “They’re the most fun group I’ve ever coached. They’re very comfortable with who they are.”

The seven seniors include Trevor Davis, Amin El Darrat, Jonathon Gunter, Patrick Knutson, and three captains, Danny Baird, Ryan Taylor and goalkeeper Brady Wulff.

“What I’ll miss most about this group is their attitude,” Austin said. “I’ll miss all of their little pranks, the ‘Boomtown’ chants and their joking around off the field.”

From Brady Wulff and Ryan Taylor wearing a cowboy hats and chewing straw in their mouths at school, to Wulff coming into senior night wearing a ski mask, the seniors have always seemed to enjoy themselves and keep the coaches laughing.

From practical jokes on bus rides to joking around at practices, Austin says his team won’t be quite the same next year.

“They all get along so well. They’re all such wholesome kids and come from great families,” Austin said. “Everyone at school loves them; every teacher loves them. They have such a natural draw to them.”

Austin laughed and pointed to the back of the senior night handout to a picture of shirtless boys with ‘Boomtown’ painted on their chests, doing funny poses in the net.

“This pretty much sums them up,” Austin said. “You can’t say they haven’t had fun this year because that’s all that they’ve had."