Dec. 13, 2024
By Joseph Brennen
Staff Writer
The boys soccer team ended its regular season on Nov. 2 with a 15-6-1 record. The team showed significant improvement compared to last season, finishing with a record of 7-9-2.
With a 1-1 tie against North Arlington High School at Ramapo Indian Hills High School on Nov. 2 in the Bergen Invitational Tournament final, the team earned the title of co-champions.
“We had great players all around, from the defense to midfield to offense, but [we] could have improved more on playing as a team for a strong portion of the season.”
Senior midfielder Bartu Akar, who has been on varsity since his freshman year, said being prepared helped the team in the BIT and all the big games this season. Among these was the first-round state game at home against West Morris Central High School on Nov. 5, which ended in a 2-0 victory for LHS.
“We were ready [for] that game. We all knew what our job was and what we had to do when we got the ball,” Akar said.
Despite the team’s accomplishments, the players faced injuries throughout the season, which caused sophomores Adiel Avila-Rivera and Leon Sahiti and freshman Cristian Ventura to move from junior varsity to varsity.
Akar said the injuries had little effect on the team’s performance.
“We had quality backup players for all the positions on the field and players who could play multiple positions,” Akar said.
Junior goalie Maksym Dmochowski, who joined varsity last year, incurred a concussion on Sept. 6 at Ramapo High School that sidelined him in the next five games.
“It was kind of a terrible feeling going on that stretch of losses during those two weeks, knowing I couldn’t do anything about it,” Dmochowski said.
He said teamwork was a challenge this season.
“We had great players all around, from the defense to midfield to offense, but [we] could have improved more on playing as a team for a strong portion of the season,” Dmochowski said.
The team’s season ended on Nov. 8 after it lost 0-5 in the quarterfinal round of states in an away game against Harrison High School.
While the team excelled in its division, Dmochowski said the players should have performed better in the state tournament.
“It was just a lack of discipline that really put us down and eventually lost us the game,” Dmochowski said
The team is losing 11 graduating seniors this year, which leaves a large responsibility on the 15 remaining players.
Junior midfielder and team scoring leader Robert Dasler Jr., who has been on varsity since his freshman year, said the seniors’ absence will have a major impact on the team next season.
“They filled many important roles, and we need the underclassmen to step up,” Dasler said.
He said to succeed next season, the players must believe in themselves and each other.
“We need to have some level of confidence and encourage the younger guys to… fill roles that the seniors left,” said Dasler.
