Four years after taking over the reins of the Bellevue High School soccer program, Dave Carter believes this might just be the year his Wolverines take the next step.

With the experience Bellevue returns and the wide-open look of the KingCo 3A Conference this season, Carter may very well be on the right track.

Carter, who spent three years as an assistant coach with Mercer Island, took over the head coaching duties at Bellevue in 2005. Numbers were down with the program and the team had just struggled through a 1-15-0 season and a last place finish in KingCo. With a youth movement, the number of athletes participating slowly increased, and with it, the team improved.

That led to a 4-9-4 finish last season; not spectacular, but the Wolverines return a solid group who have played together for three years, Carter said. That includes the Wolverines sole All-KingCo first-team player, midfielder and co-captain Kevin Buck.

“This is what we’ve built up for,” Carter said. “Now we feel like we’re finally standing on two feet.”

Returning along with Buck is fellow co-captain Eric Drewenskus, a senior defender. Drewenskus, who has already accepted a scholarship offer to play at Duquesne University next season, combines with Buck to form the glue that holds the team together, Carter said.

“We’ve got two leaders who have a lot of experience behind them and have level heads,” Carter said. “They’re very mature and they take the game very seriously.”

It was Drewenskus who approached the coach in the pre-season with over 120 pages of drills, warm-up exercises and nutrition for the team to use this season, and it’s that kind of pro-active attitude, Carter said, that makes him a great player.

“I’m kind of a happy-go-lucky coach and Eric I think puts up with that a little bit,” Carter said with a laugh. “He studies the games, he watches tape. He’s very dedicated and extremely professional.

“When there are 11 players on the field, you need someone to call the shots out there. He’s the guy you can trust with that responsibility.”

Bellevue also returns sophomore Race Sciabica, who scored three goals last season, and also will feature Swedish exchange student Viktor Drangnell, a junior midfielder currently sidelined with an injury, but figures to crack the lineup next week.

The Wolverines lost their leading scorer Dour Harrell to graduation last spring. Harrell scored six goals to lead Bellevue last season and is currently playing for The Masters College, a Christian liberal arts college in Santa Clarita, Calif.

“There are a few kids that I still have on the team from the first year, and the rest are juniors who have played since freshman,” Carter said. “We’re still molding together. We have a lot of talent, but we have a few injuries that are keeping us out of the back of the net.”

The Wolverines have scored only four goals this season, and sport a 1-1-1 record after a March 21st 1-1 tie against Mount Si. Sciabica and junior Liam Kelley each have two goals this season.

“We’re extremely talented and the chemistry is great on this team,” Carter said. “I think the division is wide open this year for whoever can win it. Its going to be a matter of us playing well together and having fun doing it.

“The key is to just enjoy it. High school soccer is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-4270 ext. 5060 or at jwillits@reporternewspapers.com.

Four years after taking over the reins of the Bellevue High School soccer program, Dave Carter believes this might just be the year his Wolverines take the next step.

With the experience Bellevue returns and the wide-open look of the KingCo 3A Conference this season, Carter may very well be on the right track.

Carter, who spent three years as an assistant coach with Mercer Island, took over the head coaching duties at Bellevue in 2005. Numbers were down with the program and the team had just struggled through a 1-15-0 season and a last place finish in KingCo. With a youth movement, the number of athletes participating slowly increased, and with it, the team improved.

That led to a 4-9-4 finish last season; not spectacular, but the Wolverines return a solid group who have played together for three years, Carter said. That includes the Wolverines sole All-KingCo first-team player, midfielder and co-captain Kevin Buck.

“This is what we’ve built up for,” Carter said. “Now we feel like we’re finally standing on two feet.”

Returning along with Buck is fellow co-captain Eric Drewenskus, a senior defender. Drewenskus, who has already accepted a scholarship offer to play at Duquesne University next season, combines with Buck to form the glue that holds the team together, Carter said.

“We’ve got two leaders who have a lot of experience behind them and have level heads,” Carter said. “They’re very mature and they take the game very seriously.”

It was Drewenskus who approached the coach in the pre-season with over 120 pages of drills, warm-up exercises and nutrition for the team to use this season, and it’s that kind of pro-active attitude, Carter said, that makes him a great player.

“I’m kind of a happy-go-lucky coach and Eric I think puts up with that a little bit,” Carter said with a laugh. “He studies the games, he watches tape. He’s very dedicated and extremely professional.

“When there are 11 players on the field, you need someone to call the shots out there. He’s the guy you can trust with that responsibility.”

Bellevue also returns sophomore Race Sciabica, who scored three goals last season, and also will feature Swedish exchange student Viktor Drangnell, a junior midfielder currently sidelined with an injury, but figures to crack the lineup next week.

The Wolverines lost their leading scorer Dour Harrell to graduation last spring. Harrell scored six goals to lead Bellevue last season and is currently playing for The Masters College, a Christian liberal arts college in Santa Clarita, Calif.

“There are a few kids that I still have on the team from the first year, and the rest are juniors who have played since freshman,” Carter said. “We’re still molding together. We have a lot of talent, but we have a few injuries that are keeping us out of the back of the net.”

The Wolverines have scored only four goals this season, and sport a 1-1-1 record after a March 21st 1-1 tie against Mount Si. Sciabica and junior Liam Kelley each have two goals this season.

“We’re extremely talented and the chemistry is great on this team,” Carter said. “I think the division is wide open this year for whoever can win it. Its going to be a matter of us playing well together and having fun doing it.

“The key is to just enjoy it. High school soccer is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-4270 ext. 5060 or at jwillits@reporternewspapers.com.