Seeking consistency: Broncos soccer aiming for state

The McKinney Boyd boys soccer team is in search of consistency two weeks into its season.

"It's kind of up and down right now," said Casey Osborn, Boyd head coach. "We're playing well at times and at other times not so well. At times we're ahead of where we should be, significantly ahead. We need to find consistency with what we do well and then we'll be ahead of that curve. That's kind of the missing piece right now."

Boyd is 5-3-1, including a 3-2 loss Friday night at home against Coppell.

The Broncos may be inconsistent early on, but their goals for the year remain steady. The two-time defending district champions are eyeing not only another district title, but also a serious run at the state title, something Osborn said "is a realistic goal for us." Osborn understands expectations are often high for his program, and understandably so as the Broncos are currently ranked No. 7 in the state and No. 17 in the country by Elite Soccer Report.

"The potential is huge," Osborn said. "We have a lot of talented players, a lot of returning starters and great leadership. We know that we have to consistently perform at a high level. The bar is pretty high and I like where it's at. Now we just have to get there and answer the call."

The Broncos' roster is loaded with experience, including 12 seniors, something Osborn knows will benefit his team throughout the marathon grind of a soccer season.

"It's a very long season and depth is key," he said. "One of the reasons I believe we can be successful is this is the deepest squad that I've ever had."

Leading the way for Boyd are the three team captains in senior defender William Wiginton, senior midfielders Raul Serrano and Dillon Farrell.

Osborn is particularly impressed by Farrell, given how he's fit into his new position.

"One of our returning captains, Dillon Farrell, has been outstanding," he said. "He's playing a new role for us this year and he's adapted to that role really well. He leads the team well and we're going to lean heavy on him."

Boyd will also expect a lot from senior forwards Sewell Yost and Ryan Trayner.

"Up top we're going to lean hard on Sewell and Ryan," Osborn said. "Both are returning starters who we expect to get the offensive power going."

While a state title is the ultimate goal, Osborn understands his team must first tackle a district schedule that includes several experienced opponents. The district changed due to realignment, bringing Plano Senior, Plano East, Plano West, Allen and McKinney into the mix.

"With the new district, every team across the board is going to bring a new challenge," Osborn said. "I think every team is pretty good. It'll come down to the more disciplined teams being successful. It's going to be a grind. Whoever wins this district is going to be battle-tested."

Osborn is confident his squad will have its inconsistency issues solved by the time district begins Feb. 12, which will help pave the way for their state title aspirations.

"A lot of it is mental," he said. "We try to do some mental exercises to make them more mentally tough with how to handle adverse situations. We do several team-building exercises or pressure-situation exercises where they have to perform under a certain amount of time. A big piece of this game is getting the mind ready."

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