Raiders hope to sustain success
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
The Hillsborough High School boys soccer team went to the water to use a concept that paid off last year.
The Raiders talked about rowing together, and no sport requires everyone to be on the same page more than a crew team. Their philosophy resulted in a 14-4-4 record and trips to their first Somerset County Tournament final since 2006 and the Central Jersey Group IV state semifinals.
”That’s one of the major reasons we succeeded last year,” said HHS’ Eric Puma, who begins his 18th year with the Raiders, the last 12 as head coach. “We had guys being unselfish and being role players. That’s why we did so well over the course of the season. You need guys to sacrifice for the good of the team.”
Puma is hoping that there is more of the same this year with a Raiders team that is overall younger than last year, but still brings enough talent to contend in another stacked Skyland Conference.
”We have a lot of raw talent, a lot of good players, but they’re new,” Puma said. “That’s my job — to have them all on the same page.”
To do so, he will lean on a couple of ideas that carried the Raiders to a good fall last year.
”The things we can duplicate from last year is learning the importance of team defense,” Puma said. “Because we’re playing such competitive teams, it’s critical that we all play good team defense. That starts from the forward position down to the goalkeeper. We realize the importance of team defense.
”And we realize the importance of cooperation, fulfilling your role on the team. We don’t have any guys that will score 25-30 goals. But they realize if you get a job and carry out your responsibility, if you rowed together, that was a concept we had last year that worked, we can do well. When guys go off on their own or try to be selfish, you don’t get the same results. That’s another idea that we can duplicate.”
The Raiders got their first taste of competition Tuesday in a scrimmage against East Brunswick, and the final score didn’t go Hillsborough’s way.
”The result was 3-0, so we have some work to do,” Puma said. “Half our team is back and the other half is new. It’s a mixture of some seniors and some sophomores and a couple juniors. It’s a mixed group, but we have a ways to go before we come together. We’re a little disorganized at the moment.”
The Raiders had a large senior class to lean on last year, and with their graduation, playing opportunities opened up for this year’s players. The Raiders are trying to fit the pieces in where players have graduated.
”It’s up and down the team, all three areas,” Puma said. “Our goalkeeping is the same, but we graduated defenders, midfielders and forwards. We’re integrating new guys in the structure we had last year, but it’s a whole new team with new parts.
”I think they’re eager to learn,” he added. “They’re anxious to find their roles on the team. We’re still doing that. We’re still finding out what each player’s role will be. They’re open to fulfilling any role we ask them to, and they’re optimistic. They’re excited. They’re willing to learn and willing to do whatever we tell them to do. That’s a great start.”
The Raiders will open the season on the road Sept. 6 at Franklin. The game will be the first as a head coach for Franklin’s Matt Roberts, a HHS graduate.
”Chase Barberi is coaching Voorhees,” Puma said of another Raiders alum who is a head coach in the area. “I’m proud of them. Matt is in his first year. Chase Barberi is in his second.”
They are part of an area that is producing more and more top-flight soccer teams. The Raiders take on another tough Skyland schedule one year after playing for the conference crown.
”Every game is going to be brutal,” Puma said. “The usual powerhouses, Pingry and Bridgewater, are there and there are very good teams in Hunterdon Central, North Hunterdon and Watchung Hills and Ridge. It’s going to be very competitive. It’s going to test these guys. For about half the team, it’s their first varsity experience. They’ll get a sense of how difficult it is to play three difficult games in a week and how difficult it is to prepare for three tough teams. I think they’re up for the task.”
The Raiders opened some eyes with last year’s season, and they also established a high standard for this year’s team to follow.
”I think we put some pressure on ourselves,” Puma said. “The success we had, I think the pressure comes from within. The players and coaches look at what we accomplished last year and set our own bar. We’re anxious to maintain that.
”If anything, it’s resulted in some self-imposed pressure. We want to continue to excel and do well. The younger guys see that and they’re really anxious to learn and get better.”
The scrimmage was a reminder that games won’t come easily. This year’s group is still adjusting to what they need to do to win games.
”We said after the scrimmage, we didn’t get the result that we wanted, and some of the guys that didn’t have to play as big of a role last year, they might have to step up and produce more this year,” Puma said. “It’s not enough for the new guys to say, I’m new. They have to step up and improve. You have to lean on everybody. You can’t just lean on the seniors. You can’t just expect them to deliver, you have to expect everyone to help. It won’t be all equal. You have to ask everyone to contribute as much as they can. You’re asking for the best out of each kid.”
The Raiders have the talent to compete in a difficult conference. They are working on putting together their talent. They will have two more scrimmages as they continue to progress before they open against Franklin.
”I think we’re going to be very competitive,” Puma said. “We have a lot of young players who as they gain experience are going to be better and better. I’m encouraged about where we’re headed.”