The Allentown High School boys’ soccer team is off to one of its best starts at 4-0 coming into this week, despite losing some key players to graduation from last year’s 15-5-1 team.
It’s the development of the younger players and a 2-1 victory over arch rival Princeton High School, which beat Allentown by a 1-0 score in last year’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III finals, that shows this team can have another solid season. The Redbirds’ other victories this season came over Nottingham High School, Hamilton High School West and West Windsor- Plainsboro High School North.
“That game was extremely important,” said senior center midfielder Brady Koontz, who scored one of the goals against Princeton, with sophomore forward Kevin Pimich putting in the other. “It showed for us that mentally, we can do something really special this season.”
Koontz is one of a number of older players who also played on the Allentown Attack, which plays a high profile schedule. Some younger players on Allentown’s varsity team were on the USA Strikers club team.
“We all have lots of chemistry this year, even with the younger guys playing on the other club team,” Koontz said.
Defense has been important. Despite losing Brian Bennett, who went on to an NCAA Division I career at Rutgers University, and goalie Bob Millar, who allowed 17 goals and shut out 10 teams last season before embarking on a college career at Richard Stockton College, Allentown has surrendered just three goals this season in five games.
“I know we lost key players, but we have a lot of depth and there are younger guys on the team last season who were itching to play and they’re stepping up,” coach Andrew Plunkett said.
Koontz said the new starters have performed well.
“I felt confident coming into this season,” Koontz said. “We lost Brian Bennett, but Ryan Durrell (senior sweeper) and Will Sjaastad (sophomore stopper) have filled in really well.”
The team’s defense has been solidified by the play of senior Tom Merse at one outside fullback spot, and senior Cameron Mory and junior John Bardiwill sharing time at the other. Goalies Cameron Maxwell, a junior, and Josh Samuel, a sophomore, normally play one half each in net during each game. Against Princeton, Samuel played strongly in the first half and he remained on the field during the second half for this key Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division matchup.
“Beating them absolutely kept our confidence up,” Plunkett said. “Last year we also got off to a good start but had an easier early schedule. This year, it’s a tougher early schedule.”
Senior Anthony Derisi leads the team with five goals and plays forward with Pimich.
Senior Steve Hensley plays at one outside midfield position and sophomore Matt Skinner plays at the other, while seniors Justin Putrylow and Zack Caruso alternate at the other center halfback spot alongside Koontz.
“We have to keep our concentration and not let the attention to our team be a distraction,” Koontz said. “We have to continue to work hard to put Allentown soccer on the map.”