CAPERS MSOC Gear Up for AUS Playoffs: Morley Praises Team's Growth and Leadership

By IAIN KING 

BUSINESS as usual, those three words are a treasured mantra within the CBU Men's Soccer program. 

Head Coach Deano Morley believes the six-game winning streak that has propelled the CAPERS into the AUS play-offs in New Brunswick proves the Class of 2024 has learned to live by those standards. They did it to set up a quarter-final clash with Dalhousie in Fredericton tomorrow (Thursday October 24) with a 1pm kick-off. 

"That teaches me that the culture is very strong in our program and that our process of focusing on winning the next game in front of us remains a constant," insists Deano. "It's easy to forget how many new players we have welcomed in from many different cultures. They have to learn our process, our history, our standards and our football principles." 

"It's a different experience for us to be travelling for AUS play-offs but it's only what you allow into the ship that sinks you," shares Morley. "We have the same mentality as we would have if we were hosting and the fact we have to play three games instead of two to win AUS will not affect us." 

CAPERS faced a rebuild with an entire leadership group graduating out after the National title and welcomed in 10 new players from Canada, England, Ireland, France and Israel. Game by game the new-look squad has grown into the demands of the CAPER program and Coach Morley saluted their dedication.  

"I'm incredibly happy with our first-year players. Harvey Hughes has proved he is the best rookie in the league and should be in contention for the best in the country," reasons Deano. "In Tomas Elwahab we have a centre-half who has settled very well and in Evan Cunningham a striker with professional qualities and abilities. I'm confident that all of our rookies will prove a point to some in play-offs that they have ability that others appear to not have noticed during the season." 

On Saturday night at Saint Mary's in a priceless 2-1 win Captain Max Piepgrass stepped up with two magnificent goals to seal it, just as he has done all season. When the going gets tough, the mentally tough get going. 

"There are different layers to this, captaincy and leadership is not for everybody. You have to look and see how these responsibilities affect them as both a person and a player," explains Deano. "Max's communication has been excellent as has his empowerment of those around him. He has led us in big games and he has scored big goals. One of the biggest pieces of feedback from his summer at Cavalry in the CPL was - could we see more offensive output rather than just being a number 6? "Well, he has eight goals and two assists now and I think that shows his quality. He has been outstanding."