Soccer Notebook
Local Soccer Coaches Upping Ante for High School Preps
If you can’t spot the collective efforts by local soccer coaches to grow the game and benefit the high school preps in their programs, then you’re living under a rock or just don’t care to know. It’s almost as if they have commenced an unspoken war against the academies by upping the ante with superb summer showcases, a totalitarian approach to coaching and top-notch tournaments featuring programs from the many counties of Section 1 and Section 9 going head to head.
“That is 100% accurate,” said Lakeland Coach Tim Hourahan, who, along with Somers Coach Brian Lanzetta and Brewster Coach Scott Potusek, have taken on some of the leadership role in this region of the section. “The summer college showcase was the best thing I have been involved with in high school soccer. And to be honest, nothing makes me prouder than to see what Coach P has done in Brewster now in Year 2 of the Dutchess vs. Putnam Challenge. High school soccer is an amazing opportunity for kids in our area. We continually produce some of the best players and teams year in and year out, creating exposure for these kids, and creating opportunities for them that they can remember for a lifetime is what it’s all about. It is amazing how great it has ended up being for our players and I can’t wait to announce all of the college commitments we get.”
This Columbus Day, the Section 1 vs. Section 9 Challenge will head into its second year at Lakeland High in an effort to grow the game and give local players a high-profile platform.
Let’s understand that the academies produce a different level of play with no holes throughout the lineup, deep benches and stacked competition, which is also great for the game, but you simply cannot replace playing with YOUR best buddies for YOUR community, under the lights against a local rival in front of hundreds of people. There is nothing like it, so thank these local high school coaches for providing an improved opportunity to do so…
They spread the wealth on opening day at Somers High, getting six different goal scorers in a 7-0 non-league triumph of visiting Sleepy Hollow last Thursday.
The 2016 Class A NYS champion Tuskers had an all-world, four-point effort from senior F Lucas Fecci (2G, 2A). Alex Maher (1G, 1A), Ethan Cukaj (1G ), Jose Giron (1G), Drew Lasher (1G, 1A) and Zane Bramson (1G) all tickled twine while Max Grell (1A) and Jon Riina (1A) each set up a goal for the top-ranked Tuskers, who will now focus their attention upon the prestigious Yorktown Tournament, which will essentially establish early-season bragging rights for three of the top programs in the region, including a Somers vs. Mahopac matchup in the opening round.
Yorktown will face Arlington B in the other opening-round game, and most folks in the know are anticipating a Somers vs. Yorktown finale later this week. However, the Niko DeCola-led Indians were anything but an easy out for the Tuskers last year, so expect a feisty challenge from Mahopac, which suffered a 4-0 loss to Arlington’s A club in the Dutchess vs. Putnam Challenge.
That challenge didn’t go so well on the scoreboard for the kickers of Putnam County, who went 1-4 against their Dutchess counterparts, but facing some of the top competition from Dutchess is an eye-opening experience that makes the locals stronger. Host Brewster was the lone Putnam-based program to pull out a win, a 4-1 triumph of Dover.Haldane fell 1-0 to Pawling, Putnam Valley lost 3-0 to RCK and Carmel came up short in a 4-1 loss to Beacon.
And to boot, Coach Potusek found a noble way to invite and honor local troops and servicemen/women, including terrifically-designed T-shirts for players, fans and troops who attended (XX-L, please!): Well done, sir!…
Lakeland senior M Noah Kemp, who broke his leg (both the Fibia and Tibia) seven minutes into his junior campaign, has looked like a stud early on, scoring both game-winning goals during Lakeland’s 2-0 start (win over Peekskill and Panas). I’ll be rooting for that kid…
The 2017 Class AA Final 4 Mahopac girls’ squad begins what might be a special campaign this week, and the second game of the season features quite a doozy at Somers this Friday (4:30 p.m.).
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.
