Dalton State opens its conference slate tonight with a big game at home

Published 9:55 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Dalton State College men’s soccer team has completed the first half of its inaugural season, posting a 7-2-1 record and outscoring opponents 41-10 through 10 games. The only blemishes are losses at home to Bob Jones University and Cumberland University and a tie on the road with Florida National University.

But now the true tests will begin.

The Roadrunners enter Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) play today as they host tenth-ranked Auburn University at Montgomery (Ala.) at Lakeshore Park at 7 p.m. The SSAC is known as one of the top soccer conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Martin Methodist College (Tenn.) won the national championship in 2013, while Auburn-Montgomery and Mobile (Ala.) University finished as the runner-up in 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Auburn-Montgomery (6-2-1) was picked to finish third in this season’s SSAC preseason coaches poll behind Mobile and Bethel College.

“Conference play is a different world. The tempo will be much higher than what our kids are used to,” Dalton State coach Kerem Daser said. “AUM is one of the top 10 teams in the country and they are very dangerous and very organized. Their players have experience and have been here before, but I think we are ready to go. Coach Rene (Enang) and I are very excited.”

Tomide Adabale, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military College, leads the Roadrunners and the conference with 15 goals scored. Adabale missed all of the 2014 season due to injury after leading GMC in goals when Daser was the coach in 2013. But he has found his form and his confidence early on this season. His performance has helped the Roadrunners lead the conference in goals scored per game.

“Tomide scored a lot of goals for me at GMC and he’s ready and hungry for more goals” Daser said. “AUM is a much higher level than any team we’ve played and will be a tough test for him. We expect teams to double him and to put pressure on Ibrahim (Sissoko). But I think when Tomide has his mind straight he can be a top striker in NAIA.”

While Adabale has led the offensive attack, Dalton State has also boasted a stingy defense which leads the conference in goals allowed per game.

“All four of our starters are freshmen and they are all improving,” Daser said. (Center back) Isael Gutierrez is our captain and I’ve never had a freshman captain before. He’s been our top defender and he is a special kid. (Center back) Ellis Roberts is a great communicator and just had his best games of the season last weekend.

“(Left back) Enrique Ruiz is a special story of a guy who played on the club team here at Dalton State and is from Murray County High School that is now starting over international players and kids from Atlanta schools. He’s very athletic and very explosive. And finally (right back) Grant Dupertuis is one of the hardest workers I have ever had. I knew right away the first time I saw him I wanted him to play for me.”

Auburn-Montgomery will be by far the toughest test the Roadrunners have faced in the inaugural season of the program. After Adabale, three of the top five leading goal scorers in the conference all play for the Warhawks. Alan Harwell has found the net eight times, Yannic Fallack seven times and Alexander Neubarth five times.

The Warhawks built a strong résumé in the non-conference schedule, which includes a win over then second-ranked Northwestern Ohio and a tie against 13th ranked Georgia Gwinnett College. Auburn-Montgomery’s two losses are to ranked teams.

After the Warhawks come to town the conference slate won’t get much easier for the Roadrunners. Mobile is ranked 17th while Martin Methodist (Tenn.) and William Carey (Miss.) have each received votes in the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25. The Roadrunners host Mobile Oct. 8 and will face William Carey and Martin Methodist on the road later this month.

“One of the reasons I came here was because I was excited to play in the number one conference in the country,” Daser said. “It’s a very high level and every conference game is a battle. There are no easy matches. We were picked to finish eighth in the conference and we are the new guys in the league. So we are excited to get in there and compete.”

Between the two Thursday contests against Auburn-Montgomery and Mobile, Dalton State hosts Faulkner on Saturday at 8 p.m. Dalton State’s fourth and final home conference game is Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. against Brewton-Parker.