With last year’s outstanding seniors graduating, will the MHS fall sports teams be able to continue their tradition of success? The answer is a resounding yes.
The previous fall season saw triumph for boys soccer. The team went 13-2-3, and brought home not only the title of Somerset County Co-Champion, but also Skyland Conference Champion as well. This year, the team will be missing its former captain, Zach Epstein, who was a crucial part of its success last year, along with defensive star Connor Yurcision. However, fresh talent such as rising senior and offensive player Rory Kemmerer can be depended on to fill the gaps of leadership left by the departing class.
The boys soccer team has come a long way since Fall 2012, when the team suffered through a winless season. At that time, last year’s star senior players were just freshmen and gained the determination and grit to prove themselves in the subsequent seasons. Now, the soccer team has risen to become one of the most dominant in the county and even in the entire state. Although the last members of the 2012 team have graduated, the new 2016 boys soccer players will carry on their legacy. The first home game takes place August 23 at Cougar Stadium against Robbinsville.
Although girls soccer finished last season with only four wins to 13 losses, the team will hopefully rebound this season, aided by rising seniors Jeanie Lisanti, Amanda Harris, and Emily Troisi.
The football team depended heavily last year on graduating seniors Dan Papa, Mitch Chugunov, Jake Demato and Matt Stagnitta. The team finished the season with five wins and five losses. Despite the loss of key offensive players, the Cougars will still retain a strong defense spearheaded by rising seniors Jared Reinson, Zach Masessa, and Malachi Clemons. Last year, the defense only allowed an average of 18.80 points per game, a statistic that will continue decreasing as the new seniors capitalize on all their experiences so far in football. With a bit of luck and extra training, the team may even be able to revisit the incredible 8-2 run it had two years ago.
The football team’s kickoff game is September 9 at Ridge High School, and its first game on home turf will be September 16 against Franklin High School.
Girls tennis also had a peerless season last year, winning the NJSIAA Group Four title against Ridge. Then-seniors such as Emily Roeper, Shannon Lu, Isabelle Kreydin and Annie Yang played huge roles in the Cougars’ success on court. Their shoes will be filled by players such as Lily Chu and first doubles duo Amy and Ally Yan. All three girls were mentioned on the Trenton Times 2016 Players to Watch list.
As last year was Raheel Saleem’s first year coaching the MHS girls tennis team, he will be able to bring even more experience and know-how to help the new 2016 team surpass the old.
Cross country features an extremely strong senior class, with runners like Ajay Sarathy, Andrew Bernard, Robert Tidona, and Avi Boppana. In particular, Ajay Sarathy is shaping up to be a dominant force. Last season, he qualified for the Meet of Champions and finished 14th. This year, he will likely improve his standings and running time even further. As a whole, the team is on track to continue its undefeated meet record (9-0) from last year.
The volleyball team has taken huge hits with the loss of captains Joanna Li and Amy Musselman. Both were important contributors to the team, with Joanna Li being in charge of defense as the libero. Even though the volleyball team is a more recent addition to MHS sports – a baby compared to the other, older teams – the girls of the team continue to improve. In this upcoming season, expect great performances from senior Kyra Noell, juniors Elise Randolph and Julia Loffredo, and sophomore Abrianna “Abri” Barrett.
Similarly, the MHS field hockey team finished last year with a 10-8 record. This year, the team will have to do without players like Jillian Farley, Alexandra Millett, Megan Edelstein and Sarah Boyer.
With new freshman coming in and older players steadily improving, the fall season looks bright for not only the field hockey team, but all MHS teams in general. You can cheer the teams on at their home games starting in September.