Blog is Back in Town

Hi everyone - it's been quite some time since I took some time to blog about my favorite topic of Portledge Athletics. That said, I have no excuse to offer other than I was fairly busy last spring and wherever creative juices come from, they had temporarily stopped flowing in me. Now that a new year of athletic competition is under way, however, it appears that my mojo is back and I'm ready to go. So as they say, " here it goes"!

What are people saying about the Varsity Girls Soccer team?

Well let's start with the Varsity Girls team because I've spent a bit more time with them so far this fall. Anytime you have you have the option to start eight Seniors you obviously have a team with tremendous experience. This is certainly true about the Lady Panthers as half their players will be earning their forth Varsity letter in Girls Soccer this fall. These seniors are spread out throughout the formation as coaches Coope and Luken seemed to have settled on a 4-3-3 set up. The middle three will be playing in a triangle with Senior Monique Kelly advanced on the point just behind three forwards coming from a some combination of Seniors Addie Reilly and Marian Juste, Juniors Ashley Wade and Tatiana Parris, and Freshman winger Erica Cohen. Right behind Monique, completing the midfield triangle, will be the central midfield pair of Seniors Claudia Rogers and Chelsea Caracciolo. All three players have a green light to join the attack and the coaches feel that this Senior midfield triad can potentially dominate against any other central grouping in the league. As of now, the defense will be a flat back four manned by seniors Natalie Grey and Natalie Flammia on the left and right flanks, respectively, with a pair of traditional center backs comprised of Sophomores Alexa Lodenquai and Denise Michalev. Returning letter winner, Freshman Ceci Mulry, should be able to fill in anywhere in the midfield or on the back line and will give Coach Coope a small amount of flexibility as the season wears on. Lastly, we have Senior keeper Chelsea Estevez between the pipes. As a starter for the last two seasons Chelsea has been in goal for many big contests including numerous PSAA Playoff and NYSAISAA Tournament games. So there shouldn't be anything coming Chelsea's way that she hasn't already seen during what has been an overall excellent career. Thus, here are the ifs......if Reilly can maintain her past scoring output and get some production help from another forward or two, if the midfield triangle concept works and teams cannot disect which midfielder will be coming forward, and if the back four set up can support the attack and while maintaining solid defense.....then the Lady Panthers might have a rare opportunity to play for a PSAA league championship. COME ON OUT THIS THURSDAY as the girls open their season with a tough match against Friends Academy @ Home on the Lower Field (4:30pm)

Can the Varsity Boys Soccer Team Continue Its Streak of Excellent Seasons?

The last few years have certainly been interesting ones for Head Coach Kevin Coleman and the Portledge Varsity Boys Soccer team. Two straight first place finishes in IPPSAL Division I Boys Soccer regular season play have led Panthers to consecutive NYSAISAA Tournament appearences for the first time in the school's history. Last year that appearence was in the form of a #4 seed - again a first in school history. The other side of the coin, however, is that not only have both those NYSAISAA appearences been of the one and done variety, but the team has also failed to capture an elusive IPPSAL Championship, although twice being seeded first in the playoffs. So we have some questions coming into what should be another very exciting season. Can the squad duplicate its regular season dominance and secure more home dates for IPPSAL Championship and NYSAISAA Tournament play, and even more importantly can they then go on to the next level by winning some of these intense late season clashes. The team's showing late last season in a very competetive Portledge Tournament that saw the Panthers gain victories over perennial NYSAISAA Tournament squads from Packer Collegiate and Columbia Prep is a real reason to believe that this group of players is maturing and has the depth to produce a truly memorable season.

Coach Coleman is taking a big chance in listening to the desires of his players as he moves steady defender Vishal Chinchwadkar out of the back line up into midfield. This could back-fire, or it could give the Panthers the explosiveness you need at the highest levels. Either way it will leave Seniors MJ Shin and Bashir Desgrottes, and Sophomore Eric "Dima" Diamataris, with a good deal of work to do in order to maintain a solid defense. They should get great support, however, from the team's pair of very experienced keepers, Seniors Dan Leask and Ben Shapiro. Chinchwadkar will be joining an already potent midfield comprised of the Dourmashkin brothers, Senior Mark and Junior Steven, along with Junior Nic Leask, who is arguably the most skilled and polished player on the field. Up front, Junior Chris McCloskey will try to keep up the tremendous scoring he contributed as a 9th and 10th grader. This will not be easy though, as Chris' strike partner of the last two years, Trevor Wolfson, has departed for college. The first chance to secure a spot alongside of McCloskey will go to Junior Anthony Pergola. Anthony is a very tricky player with a sly and deft touch. He was an excellent complimentary forward in junior high, and had a very solid season with the junior varsity team last fall. Needless to say, LET'S GO PANTHERS!!! Come on out this Wednesday afternoon when the Vrasity Boys Soccer team will open their season at HOME v. Tevor Day School on Sawyer Field @ 4:00pm.