Class is in session and so is soccer season at Schreiber High School. The 2015-16 boys varsity soccer team will look to keep their Nassau County playoff streak alive in a grueling Double AA Conference. They qualified in the postseason for 20 straight years and aspire to keep the fire going.
They finished last year at 3-6-3 overall, where they went 2-5-2 in conference games. The Vikings’ season ended in a very close 2-1 game where they came up short against Hicksville. The team is helmed by fifth-year Head Coach Don Fish and Assistant Coach Stephan Broussard.
This year, the squad boasts 12 seniors. Four of them have played with the team since freshman year. “We are a team without any true stars,” said Fish. “But we are pretty experienced at every position.” Some players to keep an eye on for the Vikings this year include veteran seniors Steven Sandoval and Hector Recinos at midfield. Senior defenders Max Rutman, Daniel Ernst and junior Ronaldo Ayala will look to keep the shots to the outside. Senior forward Teddy Tannenbaum and sophomore Iviko Gejadze will be counted on to score up front.
“We’re going to have quite a few different players scoring,” said Fish. “We have a couple of players who are younger and are going to get on the field to allow the starters some rest.”
Fish believes one of the strengths of his squad comes from playing at a fast pace. These players in particular are smart and seem to have a good understanding of the game. Fish also seeks a more composed possession style of soccer this year.
“Soccer is an organic game,” said Fish. “It’s not always easy to tell where your goals are going to come from.”
To Be The
Best, You Gotta
Beat The Best
The areas to address this year are to be patient while playing at a fast level and communicating with one another. Ernst, whose best attribute involves communicating with his teammates, stressed that the team has not done enough talking both on and off the field. This year, they look to improve in this aspect of the game.
“Last season we weren’t as close as a team off the field and during the offseason,” said Ernst. “This fall, we are going to do a lot of team bonding and working harder together on and off the field.”
As far as competition goes, it’s going to be all hands on deck for the Vikings. Massapequa, Freeport, Syosset, Hempstead and Uniondale will be the matches to watch as the boys look forward to these anticipated contests this season. In order to win it all, they will have to beat everyone to get to the top.
“The nice thing about soccer is you only gotta beat them once,” said Fish. “It’s the nature of the game. When things go right for you, you can beat anyone.”
It’s going to be a dogfight for Port Washington as they expect to compete at the top of their conference in every game. It felt like yesterday when the team started offseason workouts in February and now they will be ready for the long enduring race to a county title. They aim to make it 21 straight years of postseason appearances and eventually, a run to the championship game.
“Well, you got to shoot high,” said Ernst. “I would love to win the county championship, and I think we’re talented enough to do it.
We worked hard enough and that’s my expectation.”
