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Soccer standout shoots for record

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY

nmurray@tampatrib.com

Published: November 25, 2009

TAMPA - The similarities between former Berkeley Prep soccer standout Tyler Davis and current one T.J. Roehn are, to a certain extent, pretty eerie.

Both reached a Florida High School Athletic Association state final as a junior for the Buccaneers. Both were named Tribune player of the year after their junior seasons. Both either have played, or will play, for a Division I soccer program in the state of Florida, and both have the sort of predatory playing instincts that make them appear like peas in a pod.

Now, as Roehn enters his senior season, he is chasing his illustrious predecessor. Davis holds the school record for goals in a career, with 105. Roehn entered this season with 76, and has four in the first three games of the season. Roehn said that while the record would be significant to him, the success of the team is his principal focus for the season.

"Going into last year I had 50 goals, and people would tell me about it, but I would never think about it seriously," Roehn said. "Then last season I went off and had 26 goals, and still had a season left.

"Now that it's there, and it's in reach, I've been thinking about it a little bit, but that obviously not what matters the most to me. What matters most is the team doing well and trying to get back to state, but (the record is) something I'm shooting for as one of my goals this year."

Davis and the Buccaneers won the state title in 2004, Roehn and his father regularly attended Buccaneers games when he was in the sixth grade. Roehn then got the chance to play with Davis when he joined the Buccaneers varsity in seventh grade. Roehn said that Davis was someone he had always wanted to emulate in his career.

"After watching that year when they went all the way through and how much hype they got and all the attention they got as a team, and how much attention (Davis) got for all the goals he scored, I hoped one day I could be like him and try to get player of the year like he did, and try and break his scoring record to try and win states as a junior," Roehn said. "Unfortunately, we were one step short of that (last season), but I've looked up to him over the years, and tried to do what he did."
Buccaneers coach Tim Cooper said he is hoping the impression Davis left on Roehn as a young player is one Roehn leaves on the next generation of Buccaneers players. Even as a junior, Roehn was one of the younger members of a Berkeley squad that had eight senior starters a season ago. Now he is embracing a leadership role on the team.

"I think T.J. realizes that it's his final year, and I think he wants to leave more here than just a goal-scoring record as his legacy," Cooper said. "If he can show some of these younger guys what he's learned, then I think he's leaving the program better than what he came to, the same thing as with Tyler."

Reporter Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243.

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