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The Pirates' Goal Phoenix's John Hendricks and Al Albright are two big reasons why the Pirates have Class 3A state title aspirations By TIM PYLE PHOENIX - There are three big reasons why Dennis Flenner is smiling this season. The first? John Hendricks, the Phoenix boys soccer team's central midfielder, a sensational senior who combines speed, size and skill to terrorize District 6 opponents. The second? Al Albright, the Pirates' senior sweeper, a savvy player who directs the defense, often begins the offense and serves as a concrete last line awaiting opposing attacks. And third? With those two standouts leading the way, Flenner has a feeling this Phoenix squad just might be the special one that brings home the school's first Class 3A state championship. "Certainly, the possibility exists," says Flenner, the seventh-year coach whose 1999 team came closest to the ultimate goal, falling to eventual champion LaSalle in the semifinals. "I feel much more comfortable than in the past. Most years, I just look forward to the next game. This is the first time ever I've pulled the playoff grid off the Internet and looked at it." The Pirates are 10-1 overall and in District 6. Their only loss was a season-opening 3-0 defeat at defending state champion Hidden Valley on Sept. 11, a match that Albright missed because of a red card in a preseason jamboree. With Albright back, Phoenix paid the Mustangs back in a 4-2 home victory on Oct. 4. Buoyed by that rousing win, the Pirates believe they can beat anybody. And why not, with a duo that could very well be Class 3A's best solidifying the middle of the field? Hendricks, a 6-foot-1, 165-pounder, scored 27 goals last season and has 16 more and 11 assists this fall despite unwavering attention from opponents. He was first-team all-district and honorable mention all-state in 2000. Albright, 5-10 and 155 pounds, owns three goals this season and enjoys his rare forays forward. But his primary job is shutting down opposing attacks, a duty he performs on almost every call. He too was first-team all-district last season and earned third-team all-state recognition. That is the foundation, perhaps unparalleled, upon which Phoenix has constructed a bona-fide title contender. "You can build on that, can't ya?" asks Flenner, in his ever-amiable manner. "Yeah, you really can. That's the sweet thing - we've had those two for three seasons." Both were called up to varsity for tasters as freshmen, and both played key roles on the '99 team that advanced to the semifinals. Last year, the Pirates suffered a 3-2 regular-season loss at Hidden Valley in their only meeting with the eventual champs and bowed out in the second round of state, 2-0 victims at Catlin Gabel. Both Albright and Hendricks are hungry to shape senior seasons to remember. "I feel really good," says Hendricks, a co-captain along with Albright who is a leader off the field as well, serving as Phoenix student body president. "If we stay playing as good as we're playing now, we can hopefully go really far in state. "That's my goal, and I bet it's Al's too, and everyone else on this team." Both are also weary of overconfidence. "A lot of the reason why we started out so slow is because a lot of these younger guys, because of how good we've been doing the last couple of years, they came in all cocky and stuff," says Albright, whose older brother, Tom, also played soccer for the Pirates. "Beating Hidden Valley that bad, we can't let it go to our heads too much." Firmly entrenched in opponents' heads every time Phoenix plays are the disconcerting thoughts that two of the state's best are guiding the Pirates' ship. But they're not alone, as junior stopper Chris Swann, senior forwards David Peterson and Gerardo Serna and the rest of the Pirates provide ample support. Hendricks has developed into an indomitable force through the development of speed to match his superior skill and strength. "I was slow," says Hendricks, who holds a black belt in karate. "You can ask anybody. I was one of the slowest guys on the team. I did track my sophomore year, and I think that helped a lot. "Now, I'm one of the fastest guys on the team and in the league, I think." From the inception of Hendricks' Phoenix career, Flenner contests that he knew Hendricks would develop into "the man." And he says his scoring star's team-first attitude makes the Pirates all the more difficult to contain. "John has everybody figuring he's gonna shoot or continue dribbling, then he lays it off," says Flenner, whose point was illustrated in the win over Hidden Valley, when Hendricks continually dribbled into the heart of the Mustang defense, drew a crowd and deftly set up wide-open teammates. "John's not all hung up on being 'the man.' I think he's more concerned about winning the trophy and also working hard for his buddies." Albright first earned state-wide respect as a sophomore, when his postseason play at sweeper labeled him a defensive stalwart. He says his performance has improved as he's added muscle during his years in high school. "I started working out my sophomore year," says the lifelong Phoenix resident. "Started getting bigger because I was pretty small. And that helped me out on getting faster and not letting people push me around so much." Flenner says having a star of Albright's caliber anchoring the defense allows the entire team to play with an uncommon conviction. "Everybody knows who Al Albright is in the state," Flenner says. "He stands out because he makes the game different. "When you have a guy like that, the rest of the defense can play with confidence, knowing, 'I can make an aggressive attack on this guy, and if he gets by me, you've got Al to deal with.' I haven't seen anybody just burn him. He's very, very quick." Teammates since sixth grade, Albright and Hendricks share a love of the game and dreams of playing in college - not that they're in any hurry to see their prep careers slide on by. "Every day when I come to practice, I'm just stoked on it," Hendricks says of the joy he finds on the soccer field, while Albright nods his agreement next to him. "I love it. And games. It's just a rush all the time." And there is the hope of an absolute rush yet to come. The one accompanied by a championship trophy in mid-November. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.