Freshman keeps the Buc net safe

By CHRIS ROTAR
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 19, 1998

TAMPA -- Imagine a freshman quarterback leading his team to the cusp of state superiority. Imagine a freshman point guard directing his teammates to the final four.

Or instead of taxing your imagination, look to freshman goalkeeper Dean Arnaoutakis, who has started all but one match for Class 3A state semifinalist Berkeley Prep.

Forget the differences between him and his counterparts in the other sports -- he doesn't directly put points on the board, he doesn't call audibles or set screens -- Arnaoutakis plays the most pressure-filled position in his realm. But he does have nearly a decade of experience at the position.

"Ever since I was little I've played keeper," said Arnaoutakis, who took up soccer when he was 5. "I just started playing it, and I was pretty good. So I stayed there. Since I've been doing this for so long I've gotten used to (the pressure)."

"He's got the maturity, he's got the experience from his club team (the Clearwater Chargers) and he's only going to get better," Berkeley coach Dave Zimmerman said. "Actually, I never really looked at him as a freshman."

Arnaoutakis, who gets additional training from Tampa Bay Mutiny goalkeeper coach Kevin Keelan, often performed best when the stakes were highest.

This season, Arnaoutakis helped preserve a 3-2 win over the state's top-ranked 3A team, Melbourne Central Catholic -- the team the Bucs face this afternoon.

In a regional semifinal victory over Sarasota Cardinal Mooney last week, he saved a pair of penalty kicks after the match went to a shootout. Although he has learned to handle the pressure, that doesn't mean he's oblivious to it.

"Against Cardinal Mooney the fans in the stands were yelling and it was pretty nerve-wracking," said Arnaoutakis. "I saved the first one and that relieved a lot of tension."

©Copyright 1998 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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