High School Soccer is Here

The first ball kicked into space with no purpose and no teammate in sight reminded me that high school soccer season is upon us.

A number of years ago, Len Imielinski, a good friend of mine who coached quite successfully at upper levels of club ball for many years, was watching a high school game when someone commented that the field was in poor condition. "Doesn't matter," Len said. "The ball never touches the ground." It was a reference to the "boot it as far as you can" mentality of many high school players, i.e. the further you kick the ball the better player you are.

But as much as many of us who played and coached or just watched the club game criticize the high school game, in a town like Haddonfield it’s still fun. Many of the girls (and boys) play for club teams where the competition is intense and the quality of play – at least at the top levels – high and college scholarships can be at stake. But on the high school field they’re playing for their friends, their school and even the town.

I have been following the Haddonfield girls team (the Bulldogs, or "Dawgs") since the fall of 1993, when my daughter, Kirsten, was a freshman at Haddonfield High School. She made her varsity debut the following fall at a night game in our stadium, having been called up from JV earlier in the day. Along the way she earned two varsity letters (she was an exchange student in Switzerland her senior year) and two Colonial Conference championship plaques. And I’ve been going to the games ever since.

The names on the Haddonfield roster change from year to year, but the team keeps winning. Two years ago we won the State Cup and graduated six starters, including the goalie and the South Jersey Player of the Year. No problem. Last fall we came back, won South Jersey and came within a few inches of returning to the State Final.

So we lost only two starters from last year’s team, but have some injuries as we faced off with Kingsway at the Williamstown Tournament.

There are some things to work on. Very few short passes connected. A few girls carried the ball too long. Some midfielders did not support the forwards. And yet we were on the board in the 9th minute on a head ball off a cross from the left. Nine minutes later, a nice shot into the upper right corner made it 2-0. Some sloppy defense led to a Kingsway goal early in the 2nd half but a breakaway goal with 23 minutes left sealed the win. Not pretty, but a win is a win.

Today, with the Eagles and Phillies games on many spectators’ radios, the quality of play against 18th-ranked Williamstown was better, but there’s still a long way to go.

We knew it would be a tough day when one of our better players pulled a muscle in pre-game warm-ups and another had to come out in the opening minute. Too much individual play, not enough passing but still 0-0 at half. With 17:35 the Braves struck, scoring on a rebound and with 4:39 a misplayed ball gave them a seemingly insurmountable 2-0 edge.

But Haddonfield teams don’t quit. Less than a minute after yielding the second goal, the Bulldogs scored off a free kick from the right. And they came very close to tying it in the last minute – only to have a high shot bounce slightly wide.

High school season is here.