Great kick start to the season

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Senior Gabriel Aguiar, who contributed two assists in the win over Monroe, waits for the ball to be put back in play.

BY KAYLEE WEINGARTEN 

            The boys soccer team began the season with a promising start with a 1-1-2 record through four games. With new players in key spots, the team looks to build on its success moving forward. 

            After a 0-0 tie against New Brunswick in the season opener, the Knights earned an overtime win against rival Monroe, who defeated and tied the team last year. “The win against Monroe felt incredibly great,” said senior Gabriel Aguiar, who contributed two assists in the win on September 7. “Being able to be the first team to beat them this year is something that we have had our eyes on.” 

            “It felt good when we came back,” said senior Daniel Deak. “We were down 0-2, and we came back 2-2 at the end of the second half. When we got the third goal in overtime, it felt amazing.” Sophomore Youssef Wahby scored the overtime goal, the first varsity goal of his career. 

Senior Alex Rodriguez dribbles and shields the ball from the opposing team.

            While the team may have lost a few key seniors to graduation, upper and lower classmen alike have filled those roles for the team. “We’re more focused on the players we have right now rather than who we lost to graduation,” said junior goalie Justin Morrissey. “We also gained some new players who have stepped up immensely.”

            Sophomore Nicholas Morella has accrued three points, a goal and an assist, in the season so far as a new varsity player. “The teams’ hopes are to win,” voiced Morella. “Our long-term goal is to win the GMC and prove everyone wrong who said that we weren’t able to do it.” 

Collin Chessere speed dribbles up the sideline to keep ahead of his opponent.

            Morrissey had to adjust to a large change this season. While he had played the position in previous seasons, this is Morrissey’s first season as the main goalie after spending his first two years under graduates Stephen Deak and Christopher Liberal on the depth chart.  “I used to train with past goalie Stephen Deak to make sure I am sharp and ready for varsity,” explained Morrissey. 

            “We plan to keep the competitiveness through the rest of the season by taking games as they come and no matter who is in front of us playing them the best that we can to make sure that we have the best opportunity to win that game,” said Aguiar. Come out and support the boys throughout the season, including their next home game against Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 9am this Saturday at Geick Park. 

  • Senior Adrian Torres dribbles the ball up field and prepares to pass to a teammate.
  • Junior Collin Chessere, who scored a goal against Monroe, stays focused on the ball as he evades a slide tackle.

Posted on 9/18/24 

Photos by Jamie Hazel