Somers, Yorktown Prepping for League, Sectional Prowess

@Directrays

Section 1 Class A soccer is like the proverbial ‘war zone’ this season. To begin with, there are 29 teams in Class A this season, and only the top 20 teams qualify for the post season tournament. Most coaches believe there are as many as six or seven teams that can win the section title and advance to the state tournament, as NYS runner-up Somers did last season, for the second time in three years.

When the pre-season state rankings come out in mid-September, this is the potential thought process for state pollsters representing Section 1: No.1 Somers (defending champ and state finalists); No.2 Rye (lost in semifinals last year in a PK shootout and return 8 starters, and also returned two players from academy for their senior year); No.3 Pearl River (lost to Somers in section finals last year); No.4 Yorktown (if Yorktown beats Somers last year in the quarters, the Huskers might win Class A, Tim O’Callaghan is top 10 offensive threat in the entire section); No.5 Keio (disciplined unit that beat Somers 4-1 in the last game of the regular season last year); No.6 Byram Hills (best team in Section 1 Class A for over a decade).

“Without a doubt, Section 1 Class A is the deepest section in the state,” Lakeland Coach Tim Hourahan said. “Somers was the No.6 seed last year and went to the state finals, so once again expect fireworks come October.”

Those fireworks shall commence at places like Lakeland High School on November 2^nd, home of the Section 1 finals, and at Middletown High School on November 17th, home of the state finals, where the locals hope to be representing. Outbracket games will kick on October 23rd at the higher seed.

SOMERS

With the graduation of All-American striker Lucas Fecci and All-NYS M Jon Riina, the heart and soul are gone but the goals remain the same; to win a sectional title. Somers (19-4) has copped two of the last three Class A crowns under third-year Coach Brian Lanzetta, not to mention a 2016 state title and 2018 state runner-up status.

As far as title contenders go, Somers, the cream of the crop in recent seasons, isn’t going away. Senior M Andrew Lasher is as talented as any player in Class A, if not Section 1. A combination of speed, smarts and skill, Lasher is the go-to guy in most Tusker set pieces and transitional tries.

The senior class is looking solid, according to Lanzetta, who expects big things from Lasher, Evan Mazzola, Ethan Cukaj and Jose Giron on the attack.

“These are four seniors we’ve known as playmaking juniors,” the coach said. “We need more of the same from them, and then some.”

Somers has lost a lot on defense and are looking to strengthen it behind senior Joe Grippo and returning center back Sean Dickson.

“We call them the bash brothers,” Lanzetta said.

They best bring the bash because Somers needs a strong back line in front of whatever goalie they decide upon.

Upcoming Derek Marques will be a new name people can expect big doings from, and Bennett Leitner, Daniel Dippolito and Michael Micceri provide a strong sophomore group.

League II-B is loaded with contenders but it has boiled down to Somers and Yorktown in recent seasons, and the two are favored to battle for bragging rights once again. Lakeland, Brewster, John Jay and Panas round out the challengers in what is usually a very competitive foray for the flag.

YORKTOWN

The Huskers (11-5) are returning a good core this year under veteran Coach Ed Polchinski and assistant Justin Huff, including captains and top playmakers are Zackary Stanik and Timmy O’Callaghan, in addition to being one of the top finishers in the section, is also a four-year player and third-year ear starter. Other seniors that will be contributing good minute are James Calidonna, Ciaran Donohoe and Mikey O’Connor, a senior striker with great size and speed. Chris Judge is a player to watch as well.

“We did lose two players to the academy system, and another sophomore who was injured during lacrosse season,” Huff admitted. “We have about seven juniors who will be playing big minutes for us and a great competition right now for the starting goalie.”

Yorktown is looking to make it back to a section final for the fourth time in six years under Polchinski. The Huskers were eliminated last year by Somers, the state runner-up, and two will tangle again this fall for league bragging rights.
“We know how many great teams there are in Class A like Rye, Somers, Pearl River, Keio and Byram, so we are just looking to get better each day and perfect our style of play,” Huff said. “Our entire backline is all underclassmen, but will be a strength of our team. If we can find the back of the net we will be very dangerous.”

Local soccer fans expect nothing less.

LAKELAND

Hourahan will have a young team this year, maybe the youngest Lakeland (4-12) has ever had on the varsity level, with only five seniors returning from last season, but the incoming freshman class is said to be sound.

“The freshman class is as strong as any that I may have had at Lakeland in my 15 years and the junior class is very strong as well,” said Hourahan, who will rely upon legit assistance from Assistant Coach Nick Jerussi, “and with the promise of bringing our two academy kids back we are building again to the Malan, Jerussi days and the Prando, Reiche days of Lakeland soccer being section title contenders again.”

Lakeland will hope to be stingy this season, fielding a solid back line that will determine its success.

“I am really excited about our defense as we return only four starters, but all of them play in the back,” Hourahan said. “We will have some really strong two- and three-sport athletes playing back there, and we are definitely way ahead on that side of the ball.”

According to Hourahan, senior captains Nick Bassani (G), Ryan Brannigan (D) and Nicolas Desantis (D) will be leading this team by example in practices and games.

“We will really lean on them all season,” the coach said.

Junior center back Reed Thompson, who led the team in minutes played last year, adds a strong two-way presence.

“Offensively, we will be working hard to find consistency in our game and we have a set of juniors who will be looking to lead the way, including Austin Bergen, Jason San Lucas and Steban Minchalo. All of them are more of the playmaking-style players, but we are asking them to be more aggressive in their approach and have a bit of a killer instinct.”

Lakeland will keep three freshman on the team this fall, and Bryan Jamramillo (winger) was among the most impressive this summer.

“He will be a name to remember for the next four years,” Hourahan said.

Sonny Karaqi and Jack Flannery are two other freshmen that make impacts this season.

“We are really excited for all three of them,” the coach said. “We have a lot of work to do, but I have been really impressed throughout the spring club ball season and summer league and camp series, so we will be working hard to make it real difficult on all the big boys in Class A.”

HEN HUD

The Sailors (10-6) were solid last season under veteran Coach Chris Cassidy but they graduated 14 players and will look to rebuild with the nucleus of senior G Justin Cohen, senior D Jay Luis, junior M Jeremy Rench and junior striker Matt Torres.

League II-E features returning champion Beacon, which went 8-0 in league games last season, before falling to Somers in the sectional semis. However, the Sailors finished second at 5-3 and look to improve upon that mark with Beacon, Peekskill, Lourdes and Poughkeepsie challenging.

“We lost a lot of great players,” Cassidy said. “We always want to challenge for the league title. We have a skillful team. We will have to see how it comes together with new dynamics.”

BREWSTER

The Bears (9-7) have been main source of Putnam County soccer the past two years, but a coaching change and a new regime of players could stymie the progress in 2019. That’s not to say the new coach can’t or won’t continue along the path of recent success. It’s directed at the number of solid players the Bears have graduated. Brewster was hit hard by graduation and the Bears are competing in a league with Somers, Yorktown, Lakeland, John Jay CR and Panas, so wins won’t be easy to come by.

Similarly, victories won’t be easy in Class AA for CARMEL and MAHOPAC, as they operate out of League I-A, among the toughest in the state.

Mahopac has hired a new coach again, its third in three years. The lack of stability leads one to believe that nobody has a clue about the Indians this season, but what we do know is that their league will be the toughest test any team in the state can expect to face on a day-in, day-out basis. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and the likes of Dutchess powers John Jay EF, Arlington and RCK will surely put Mahopac and Carmel to the test.

Carmel’s Nick Fernandes is beyond skillful and should provide the Rams with some legit scoring punch, but the rest of the unit is unproven at this level. With keeper Joe Gaeleano between the pipes, the Rams have a chance to hang tough.

OSSINING reached the Class AA finals last season during one of its most impressive campaigns in history, but the Pride lost a ton to graduation, so sustaining that level will be difficult.

Soccer coaches are encouraged to email results, either weekly (by Sunday) or game-by-game, to raygallaghersports@gmail.com or @Directrays for inclusion to our weekly soccer notebook.

 

Jpeg caption RAY GALLAGHER PHOTOS

Lakeland D Ryan Brannigan is part of a solid back line that provides the Hornets’ best shot to win games this fall.

Somers senior M Andrew Lasher will attempt to lead the Tuskers to a 3rd sectional title in 4 years.

Yorktown senior Tim O’Callaghan will be among the top scoring threats in Section 1 this season.

NYS Class A runner-up Somers hopes to reload and relive moments like these in the fall of 2019