Record: 10 – 4 – 2

Overview:

A new fall season brings back the excitement of cold nights, wild student sections, and Allie Borowsky having a word with some students and parents. With the season winding down and the need for hot chocolate and crockpot meatballs, it’s the perfect time to recap the first kickoff.

The last campaign showed a lot of promise for the team. They had a winning record and made an appearance in the state tournament. Led by coach Kyle Lyman in his 4th year, expectations and goals for the team were ambitious but definitely achievable. With eight returning starters from last year, the team looked solid on all fronts. Summer training helped the team a lot. They ran scrimmages to get used to playing with one another, showed players their strengths, and gave themselves room for improvement. The lifting, besides four days of soreness, increased strength, endurance, and team chemistry. The pre-season was very encouraging and foreshadowed the success that was yet to come.

The boys started their season on a five match unbeaten run. This included an equalizer by Senior Jerebstov in the last 15 seconds against Lenox. This was a huge achievement for the team. That kind of start hadn’t happened since 2022, when the team made the Western Mass tournament, then made it to the second round of the state tournament. This would sadly come to an end after back to back losses against PHS and Taconic. Some teams might crumble, but Wahconah certainly didn’t, matching it with back to back wins over Hampshire and Mahar. The Hampshire game made a statement about the quality and fight of the team as the boys beat a top league opponent with a last minute header winner by Junior, Leo Stringer. 

Greylock then came to the dust bowl. After a well played first half and two unlucky and conceded goals, tired legs, and fatigue gave in and the Warriors fell to a 5-0 defeat. Again, some may crumble, but just like the response to the first defeats, Wahconah came back even stronger. They won three on the bounce, including two league wins over Easthampton and their rival, Lenox. The last three games were all league games, every game mattered. The Warriors traveled to 

Mt. Greylock and fell to a 3 – 1 defeat, yet they showed significant improvement from the first game. Taconic then traveled to Dalton, fueled by revenge and passion. The team easily handled them 8 – 2. The last game was a league game against Hampshire. This game determined who received 2nd in the league. On senior night, all emotions were high. Everyone played for each other, coming away with a huge 1 – 0 win. The Warriors now are in contention for the Western Mass tournament, made the state tournament, and finished the year with a record of 10 – 4 – 2.

Defense:

A new face was behind the sticks this year. Junior Matt Oakes stepped in to fill Zack Scheinder’s shoes. He can reach over anybody at an impressive 6’4 stature and punt with the ability to switch the whole field. The back line stayed similar to last year besides Junior John McComish filling in for graduated player Jason Moynihan. John missed last year with a torn ACL, but his return filled a gap in the defense. Senior Captain Ethan Coughlin returned from last year, cleaning up pretty much everything over the top and taking long free kicks. This season, he finally accomplished his long awaited goal of scoring a goal against Mahar. Senior Thane Adams has a consistently solid performances, using his impressive speed to track down runs and stop attacks. He also uses impressive Taekwondo moves midair to trap the ball. Sophomore Connor Cook, on the opposite fullback, frustrates wingers of all sizes, has constant persistence, and a head made of bricks. 

Midfield:

Moving into the midfield, Junior Leo Stringer controls a large part of the tempo of the game. He plays as a box to box midfielder, disrupting the opposition, but creating and scoring himself. Leo also has the ability to make the defender that is marking him disappear on set pieces. The other defensive midfielder is a new face on the team but fits in like he played last season. Junior Alex Roots will chase anybody to the end of the Earth to get the ball back. He can also use a defender’s back as a springboard for aerial duels. In the attacking midfielder role, future People’s Choice Award winner Alex Jerebstov returns from last year to bring constant energy and effort. His senior year has been one for the books. He’s brought some of the best moments for the team, including his infamous Russian coin toss. 

Attack:

Sophomore Chaz Mahar was introduced to a new position this year, moving from central midfield to left wing. His ball handling skills always impress. Coach Lyman says, “Chaz is the only person in the United States of America who uses his left foot more as a righty.” Returning from last year, Sophomore Nate Beatty is still out on the right wing. He racked up numbers of assists in the beginning of the year but an injury put a pause on his season. Hoping to make a return before the season’s end, he has shown drastic improvement in clicking the play button, remembering Leo’s phone password, and forgetting to stop the scoreboard clock on time. Our returning Senior Captain striker Cooper Calvert is still putting up impressive goal numbers and has amazing work ethic and effort. His high jump record is being severely threatened by Chaz in the spring. If there’s one person who can be heard when he’s frustrated, it’s Cooper. 

With injuries and rotations, other players like Junior Rylan Melle and sophomores Dinzel Palacios, Ben Difazio, Noah Aldrich, and Christophor Casas have played for good amounts of time. 

(The team has increased Monster Energy sales by 80% this year, heavily contributed to by the one and only Alex “AP” Post.)

Season Results:

Vs SABIS Bulldogs (2-2) D

@Easthampton Eagles (6-0) W

Vs Mt. Anthony Patriots (6-1) W

Vs Lenox Millionaires (2-2) D

@Hopkins Academy Hawks (5-0) W

@Pittsfield Generals (0-3) L

@Taconic Thunder (2-3) L

@Hampshire Raiders (2-1) W

@Mahar Senators (9-0) W

Vs Mt. Greylock Mounties (0-5) L

Vs Easthampton Eagles (4-1) W

@Lenox Millionaires (2-0) W

Vs Granby Rams (3-1) W

@Mt. Greylock Mounties (1-3)L

Vs Taconic Thunder(8-2) W

Vs Hampshire Raiders(1-0) W