Kotchin raises level of Hun soccer play
By: Justin Feil
On the Hun School boys’ soccer team, the captains have made a rule that everyone must wear shin guards at practice.
They really didn’t have to make it mandatory. One practice is enough to discover that it’s not only a rule, it’s wisest for the Raiders’ health.
"We’re probably more intense in practice," said Adam Kotchin, a senior captain for the Raiders. "Each captain gets their own team. Each captain runs their team. We don’t expect to lose. We scream at each other if we lose. We get in arguments with the other teams. We know we have to pick each other up so much more (to get ready) for games. But you play how you practice."
Hun has been playing with not only the skill that comes from practicing in higher pressure practices, but also an unmatched intensity. The Raiders put together perhaps their most impressive win when they beat Lawrenceville, 4-1, Saturday to improve to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League. Hun faces the nation’s top-ranked team, St. Benedict’s 4 p.m. today.
"I think Lawrenceville is bigger than Benedict’s because Lawrenceville is our rival," Kotchin said. "We know Benedict’s will be one of our toughest games of the season, but we’re just going one game at a time. Lawrenceville was our toughest game. Now Benedict’s is. But I think Lawrenceville is bigger because it’s more of a MAPL game. We might see Benedict’s again in the (Prep A) finals."
Hun may not be as tricky as Benedict’s, Kotchin says, but the Raiders’ precision has been tough to match. After Hun got on the scoreboard a minute and a half into the game on a beautiful feed from Matt Miller to Ryan Putman, the Raiders came back less than four minutes later with one of its finest plays.
"I got the ball to Scotty (Loesser)," Kotchin recalled. "He beats four or five defenders, and puts it back to Kevin Michel, who puts it back to Scott who gives it to Matt Miller for the goal. I don’t think Lawrenceville even had a chance to touch it."
When Hun’s Mike Williams scored less than 30 seconds before halftime, the Raiders had a commanding 3-0 edge and Hun’s defense settled in after a quick score by the Big Red in the second half before Josh Harris scored the final goal for the Raiders.
"I thought our goals were really well developed on our part," Hun coach Chris Kingston said. "We knocked it around, switched fields well. We scored some really nice goals this season, and our goals (Saturday) were really nice ones."
While Kotchin hasn’t been a big goal scorer for the Raiders this year, he has been a leading assist provider. After playing a sweeper role as a freshman, a defensive midfielder as a sophomore and wherever necessary last year, he’s back to the back this season. This year, he’s moved to a right defensive back position to start games, and forms a wall in the back with Matt Care, Jon D’Angelo and Scott Loesser.
"Adam’s probably the most versatile player we have," said Kingston. "I could put him anywhere but goalie. He has been effective everywhere. He leads our team in assists as a defender. He’s all over the field. The best way to describe him is all over the field."
It’s not just boundless energy, it’s also boundless intensity, the kind that comes out even when he gives pep talks to the team. The captains’ talks certainly helped the Raiders get off to a flying start against Lawrenceville.
"I’ve been waiting for this game for so long," Kotchin said. "I don’t have any friends at Lawrenceville. I’ve had grudges with them on and off the field. There’s no way I wouldn’t let my teammates know how important it is."
And when Kotchin isn’t around it’s noticeable. He wasn’t at practice on Thursday, two days before Lawrenceville.
"I think practice is hard to begin with, but there was a noticeable difference without Adam," Kingston said. "He practices as hard as anyone I’ve coached. He’s as intense as anyone I’ve coached. And most of the time, he’s making the players around him play harder and better."
He expects to do the same today when the Raiders face a consensus top team in the country. Just like last year, they’ll be getting the Gray Bees after their first loss.
"It’s going to prove where we are as a team," Kotchin said. "I think it’s going to be a great game, if not now, but when we make the state finals. They’ll be impressed the way we play. Peddie and Lawrenceville compared us to Benedict’s, which makes us feel good. We’re not as tricky or all-around as good as they are, but as a team, that’s where we come together. The team unity on this team is amazing. That’s what makes this team better. We just want to win.
"We had a meeting the day after Steinert," he added of the Raiders’ only loss. "We had another meeting in the middle of the week. We can’t take that loss. We had a tough game and could have lost the next game. But there was no way that Miller, Care or Loesser or I could take it. Nobody was happy with it. It was one loss, but we don’t want to lose. That’s why I like this year best."
The North Hanover resident broke into the Hun lineup as a freshman when his older brother Boomerwas a Raiders’ standout before going on to Mercer County Community College and the University of Akron. Adam Kotchin has followed in his brother’s footsteps and will continue to play in college. Intensity is something that both play with, sometimes even bringing a bit too much. But even those times have decreased.
"He’s matured," Kingston said. "He’s an emotional player. We’ve been working on that for four years. He’s been working on keeping his temper under control and improved every year at it. He’s been a leader on the team. He understands soccer. He’s been playing with a competitive club team. His brother plays for one of the better teams in the country. Soccer has been a part of his life."
Soccer won’t be leaving anytime soon, but Kotchin’s playing days at Hun have just over half a season left. He’s determined to make them the best yet, which would only match the level of play of the Raiders.
"I can already see this is the best Hun team I’ve played for," Kotchin said. "Our formation is perfect. Kingston is on fire coaching. He’s doing everything right. Everybody is out to win. It’s not about stats this year. It’s all about winning. Tuesday should be a big game for us."
Monday felt big too. That’s when Hun took to the practice fields, shin guards firmly in place, ready to make the games just a bit easier to win.