Young Bulldogs launch 2023 season Friday

PERKINSTON — On a team with four returning sophomores, it's not surprising what the first adjective out of longtime Mississippi Gulf Coast men's soccer coach Chris Handy's mouth is. It's reassuring what the second is. 

"We're young and talented, but there's a lot of room to grow," he said. "We're pretty good going forward, but there's still areas of improvement for some of the bigger moments in the game like set pieces and transition play. That will need to be improved on, as well as the intensity." 

The Bulldogs kick off the 2023 season Friday with a road trip to play Tyler Junior College in Texas, followed the next day by an exhibition against NCAA Division II UT Tyler.

TJC is ranked sixth in the NJCAA Division I preseason poll and is a perennial national power. Gulf Coast plays in Division II. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@TJCApacheAthletics/featured.

The Bulldogs will play a non-conference game at No. 5 Jones on Tuesday before opening their home schedule by hosting Andrew College on Sept. 1. All home games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch, and season and individual game tickets can be purchased at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets. 

Handy is confident in his new keeper. Colombian David Ruiz Ospina (Fr., Manizales, Colombia/Gimnasio del Pacifico) has made things frustrating for the Bulldogs offense in practice.

"He's one of the best keepers to walk through the door at Gulf Coast," Handy said. "He talks. He's good with his feet. He's athletic. He's tall. I think he's going to be a strength for us all year."

Zach McWillie (So., Jackson/Murrah) is one of the returning players, and he's shown maturity leading the back line. He was an All-MACCC selection as a freshman. Koen Gemeri (Fr., Gold Coast, Australia/Southport School) is a young defender who is good with the ball at his feet, and Handy thinks he could be one of the best defenders in the league when all is said and done.

Mark Wilson (Fr., Ridgeland/St. Andrews) will play some center back, but also see time as an outside back and a winger.

Guy Mizrachi (Fr., Haifa, Israel/Ironi Nesher), a transfer from NCAA Division I St John's, is the focal point of the midfield.

"He provides a lot of leadership in there," Handy said. "He's our main guy when it comes to getting us out of the back. His value is very high for us."

Newcomers Nygel Jobe (Fr., Brandon/Brandon) and Hayden Thomas (Fr., Clinton/Clinton) have been exciting and productive in the preseason buildup.

In the final third, Handy thinks they have a lot of players who can put the ball in the net. They have different abilities and strengths, and they're trying to see who steps forward to be the main goal-scorer. He invokes a former Gulf Coast All-American when talking about Victor Moerck (Fr., Vaerloese, Denmark/Lyngby Handelsgymnasium).

"Victor is probably, next to Jordan Hall, the hardest working forward I've seen," Handy said. "He's constantly working, pressing. He's a breath of fresh air when it comes to being a striker who is blue-collar."

Kade Smith (Fr., London, England/Whitmore) is very athletic and talented, a player who can put his head down and get to goal. Jeongbin Kim (Fr., Paju, Korea/Anyang Technical) is very technical with a powerful left foot.

Mills Sheridan (Fr., Brandon/Northwest Rankin) scored three times in three halves of play in a round-robin preseason competition. Terron McIntyre (So., Madison/Madison Central), who has shown growth, and Mason Shortt (Fr., Brandon/Northwest Rankin), who has taken to a new position quickly, are returners who have also impressed. 

As always, Handy's goal is to win championships. His team won two years ago but couldn't repeat in 2022. He expects to be in the mix with Jones and No. 13 Pearl River, with No. 20 Copiah-Lincoln, East Central and Hinds among the teams expecting to be near the top of the standings. He has tried to construct the 2023 team to not just challenge for the MACCC and NJCAA Gulf South District titles, but to make noise in a second trip to the NJCAA championship.

Windham Whatley returns for a fourth season as assistant, Handy named him a rare two-year captain when he played for him and calls him the 'lifeblood of the program."

"The league's going to be fun," Handy said. "What I've seen so far early in preseason is you're going to have to bring it every game. The influx of the extra internationals means it's easier to put a really good team on the field. Every single game, you're going to get a team you're going to have to beat. There aren't any gimmes. That's exciting to know you'll have to play your best every game. We look forward to that challenge."

For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.