By: Sean Moylan
Last year the Peddie boys’ varsity soccer team posted an 8-10-1 record and finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League Division (2-2-1). But this season things are looking even brighter for the Falcons, who are returning last year’s Player of the Year, Billy Schuler.
"In Billy Schuler we have one of the premier soccer players in New Jersey. His playmaking abilities, vision and ballhandling make him an ideal midfielder," said The Falcons’ second year head coach Peter McClellan, whose junior superstar captain is in the Olympic Development Program and plays for Matchfit, a highly competitive travel team.
However Schuler is one of many returning players who are expected to make an impact this year. Matt Seidner (a defender and co-captain), Belia Lencho (defender), Will Foster (midfielder), Simon Kim (midfielder), David Noh (forward), Nick Fountoulakis (goalie) and Mike Alerhand (midfielder) are all returning for their senior season. In addition to Schuler, Mike Blake (forward), Dave Reichman (midfielder) and Mark Stanton (defender) are 11th graders who are back with the Peddie boys’ varsity soccer team.
Tyler Cabot (goalie) and Leonel Sandoval (midfielder) are both sophomores who could have a huge impact on the team. Cabot, who is entering his second season as Peddie’s starting goalie, has very good skills.
"He’s a very capable goalie," added McClellan of Cabot. "We have only three seniors who will start but we have experience at every position."
One important addition to the varsity roster is Tim Lee, a junior who is expected to start at one of the forward spots.
"He’ll (Lee) definitely help us. He was a nice surprise. He’s a kid who has really developed as a soccer player," noted McClellan, who will be assisted by Dwaine Banton, a former high jumper at Princeton University, who is an expert in conditioning.
This year, Peddie doesn’t want to just climb back to .500, it wants to be good.
"The goal they set for themselves is they want to win the Maple Division and they want to compete in the Prep State Finals," said McClellan.
With so many of Peddie’s players in the prime of their high school soccer careers, those goals may very well be attainable. Of course, it helps when one has a Billy Schuler, who netted 14 goals last season, on one’s side.
Peddie was scheduled to have opened its season with a road game versus the George School yesterday (Thursday). It is scheduled to host Montclair-Kimberly Academy on Saturday and next Wednesday, Peddie is scheduled at Princeton Day School.

