Trabs Gabs: RCAC rising and a troika of matches to watch this weekend on the pitch

By MATT TRABOLD

TRABS KEEPS TABS

RCAC Experiencing Head-Turning Depth

For this part of the column this week, the topic of choice seemed to be leaning towards one of a pair of options out of a variety of relevant and interesting subjects: the clout across the foursome of Greece programs and the additional level of depth the Rochester/City Catholic league is experiencing this time around.

Greece Olympia is presently not quite as strong as in some recent years past, when the Spartans were battling eventual state champions in sectional semifinal games in 2013 and entering the Class A2 sectional bracket in 2015 as the top seed behind the likes of Courtney Hill of Jamaica, Noah Mohamed of Yemen and Shagar Jogi of Nepal. Hill even landed in the best spot on SportsCenter Top 10 Plays one night for what he did scoring on a free kick in said sectional semifinal game against Pittsford Mendon. With all of that being said, the other three battalions in town are basically wrecking machines.

Greece Odyssey has had its share of storied campaigns over the past better part of a decade due to the play of Aaron Wilkins, twins Austin and Angelo Visca, current St. Bonaventure midfielder Maxwell Ogden, Josue Fontanez and company, but the current group over there might just be better than all of those others the program has churned out of late with another set of twins in Parker and Dylan Ange at the forefront. Plus, Greece Athena and Greece Arcadia could easily be the two Section V boys soccer teams filled with the most nationally relevant talent this year.

VIEW MORE SUE KANE PHOTOS HERE.

Two results over the past five days that directly pitted both sides of the decision coin laid out above against each other helped solidify the way to go. On Saturday, a rebuilding McQuaid Jesuit force came back to beat star-studded Greece Athena off two scoring strikes within the last seven minutes of regulation. On Monday, Wilson Magnet handed Greece Odyssey just its second defeat this season in twelve games by using a Mohamed Muthana goal in the first half on the way to a shutout victory.

This potent depth out of the RCAC is ramped up this year because it has been a very long time since the league could boast a quartet of legitimately strong sides. When talking about those four clubs, you have to start with McQuaid Jesuit after what the Knights did to mighty Greece Athena this past weekend. Nino Pilato’s group ended last season with a state title in the highest classification of an elite high school soccer state and a consequent No. 3 spot in the USA TODAY High School Sports national rankings. That roster would graduate all but one rotation player before this season though. Dynamos like Tommy Gallina, Dominic Duncan, Adriano Margiotta, Dylan Duffy, Justin LaFountain, Quinn Minich and Brennan Brown are gone. That one key returner is Dan Malloy. He currently paces the Knights with eight goals. Around him, players such as Isaiah Miller, Vincenzo Capezzuto and new starting goalkeeper Carter Duncan have stepped up to the plate with obviously monumental leaps in production.

 

Glimpse this sequence from @MJSNetwork15 boys soccer team. Plus, it was vs. a still quite good defending state finalist in World of Inquiry. pic.twitter.com/6nDKZ63HGC

— Matt Trabold (@TrabsMatt) October 6, 2017

You cannot talk about RCAC soccer, and Rochester soccer as a whole, over the last half of a decade without strongly referencing World of Inquiry. It is truly remarkable how far the program has come, with sectional titles and state title game appearances, in such a short time off of the feet of now former Griffins in Toyi Hakizimana, James Weh, Miguel Lopez and Alphonso Joe – now a freshman defender at Syracuse. Even with its teams frequently having productive underclassmen at their disposal, World of Inquiry is no stranger to having to rebuild going into the next season. Usually though, that rebuilding is coming after having players picked to compete in year-round club soccer, like Hakizimana, Joe, Hlaku Gay and goalkeeper Michael Hunter experienced, rather than graduation. Following a defeat against Lackawanna in the most recent round of state competition, graduation losses of talismans Ayub Jeylani and Frankie Santiago came for Rich Paufler and his staff.

A younger brother of Ayub in Yusuf Jeylani and Emmanuel Nsengiyumva would now step into the roles of go-to guys. These Griffins currently only sit a game above .500, but the sophomore group of a third Jeylani brother in Suheil Jeylani, Isaac Hakizimana and Joe Mohamed have all sorts of promise. That includes one loss each versus city upstarts Wilson Magnet and Edison Tech. Mohamed and Hakizimana provide solid height and long strides in the midfield and in receiving set pieces on top of employing plenty of foot talent in the open field and when defenders collapse upon them. It is hard to count out World of Inquiry when sectional play rolls around.

 

The two Rochester/City Catholic pleasant surprises are Edison Tech and Wilson Magnet. The Inventors already have eight victories this season, including beating Webster Thomas, doubling up World of Inquiry with six tallies and a wildly impressive upset of Palmyra-Macedon. Malik Musa and Mabrook Saleh currently sit at a combined 21 goals. Their confidence on the field only helps the handling skills they utilize to befuddle opposing players. Rey Arizmendi is a sizable midfielder who leads the team in assists and has no problem ranging to help out the back line in a pinch. Similar to Joey Gombatto of Hilton and Taber Monks of Greece Arcadia, the Edison Tech starter in net in Sumani Hassani makes up for not having much height and wingspan between the pipes with quick reflexes and heady speed to dominate the space in his box. Despite falling in a close one on Tuesday against World of Inquiry, Wilson Magnet sits at a better than usual six wins right now, including wins against those same Griffins earlier in the season and Greece Odyssey.

 

SLAP YOUR PEEPERS ON THIS TROIKA

Brockport at Pittsford Mendon—Fri., Oct. 5, 6:00 PM

Dylan Kladstrup, Will Bowen, sensational Spaniard Niklas Riewe and Pittsford Sutherland might have the better record at the moment between the two Pittsford teams, but Pittsford Mendon has some of the most top-flight players from the Rochester area as well. As a senior, Matt Bamford has proven to be one of the most natural goal scorers up top in Section V. Connor Krapf is possibly more known for his exploits on the basketball court, but, on the pitch, he is a nearly impenetrable central defender. Pierce VanBenthuysen, and his seven points so far as a junior, is the younger brother of one of the stars of the 2013 state title team for Pittsford Mendon, Dane VanBenthuysen. Sophomore forward Jeremiah Anandarajah is on an upward progression after being named to the Best XI of the United States Youth Soccer 2018 National Championship Series this past summer. Coming into this week, the Vikings were the only team to beat Greece Odyssey on the season. Last go-around, Brockport reached the Class A state qualifier with seniors Colby Wharram, Zach Wharram, Zach Langelotti and Peyton Young at the helm. Those graduation losses help to explain a present-day record of six games under .500, but Vander Hart and Tyler Daly were major contributors on that group a year ago. Daly, Bamford and Krapf sent home the scores when these two did battle earlier this campaign, as Pittsford Mendon reigned supreme.

 

Aquinas Institute at McQuaid Jesuit—Fri., Oct. 5, 7:00 PM

Soccer fans, we have ourselves a rivalry clash. Around a decade ago, both of these programs were more than legitimate state title contenders every year for a while. Back then, these matchups featured a team of Knights with former Marist Red Fox and St. John’s Red Storm midfielder Josh Faga against a couple former Marist Red Foxes in Krystian Witkowski and Josh Lavorato for Aquinas Institute. Faga is now an assistant men’s soccer coach for Duquesne. After being selected No. 32 overall in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, Witkowski is now an assistant men’s soccer coach for Army West Point. Out of these two sides, overachieving McQuaid Jesuit is arguably the one that strikes more fear in its opponents this season. Two goals and an assist from Dan Malloy in the Knights’ comeback victory over Greece Athena last weekend made sure of that. When it comes to Aquinas Institute presently, remember the name: Gian Malcolm. The sophomore forward has all of the tools, especially the footwork on the run, to be a fantastic household name in this area down the road. Senior captain and defender Luke Putnam has played just about every position over his time in Section V soccer when he has not been sending home threeballs on the basketball court. His toughness and leadership certainly includes proficiency for getting his teammates involved. Rangy netminder Kyle Pero gets better at coming off his line for saves with every game.

Greece Athena at Brighton—Fri., Oct. 5, 4:30 PM 

When these two titans, not to be confused with a great Greece Arcadia squad, first went to war earlier this season on September 13, the game was marred by various injuries. Notable Brighton senior midfielder Gabriel Barraclough-Tan had to leave the game, and the grounds altogether, when he suffered a sizable cut on his head before halftime. On top of that, Greece Athena sophomore captain Dylan Rice was sidelined for most of the second half due to cramping. The lone goal in that one came on a possession that saw Othman Belhseine make a run from just about one side of the box to the other and fake out multiple defenders before Victor Alongi poked it through. Like Barraclough-Tan, Sam O’Connor is a Brighton Baron that has made a name nationally for himself with his club play in many corners of this country over the past couple summers. Former Rio de Janeiro resident Caio de Medeiros currently has thirteen points under his belt as a senior. Starting goalie Christian Burkhart is very capable of recording assists because he frequently clears screaming ropes in the air to teammates from his own box all the way to the other box with ease.

After netting his first goal of the season earlier this week, look for Greece Athena’s Rutgers commitment Dylan McDermott to really get it going if he can stay away from injuries. Ryan Burns and sophomore Michael Tracey are also phenomenal back liners, but Yakub Simsek might just be the most complete player in Monroe County this season. If saves by defenders who are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands were recorded along with those by goalkeepers, it would not be a huge surprise if Simsek was top ten in the section at this point. Also, every once in a while, Simsek is sent up to the attacking third, where he sometimes pulls off near-juggernaut runs. St. Bonaventure commitment CJ Takatch is the physical and armband-wearing verbal glue that holds this team of Trojans together.

 

SECTION V IN DIVISION I UPDATE

Lukas Fernandes—Jr., Temple (Churchville-Chili)

After nineteen appearances, one start and one goal over his first pair of seasons with the Owls, Fernandes has now jumped into a starring role with his collegiate club. Through ten games, he leads that Temple team in goals and points. Back on September 16, the Owls tied Duquesne after Lukas equalized inside the near post all the way in the 86^th minute. On September 24, Fernandes was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal a few days prior to beat the nationally ranked preseason conference favorite in Central Florida. While at Churchville-Chili, Fernandes received a tryout, which unfortunately ended up being plagued by injury, with West Ham United from the Premier League.

 

Oh yeah, current @RLancers & @Temple_MSoc player @Luke_Fernandes9 got Premier League looks while at @CCCSDathletics. I have been reminded. pic.twitter.com/EtZHhOjNvh

— Matt Trabold (@TrabsMatt) July 18, 2017

David Grana—So., Saint Joseph’s (Greece Athena)

After starting fifteen games on defense in his first collegiate season last year, the former Greece Athena forward has received the starting nod in all fifteen games the Hawks have competed in thus far this campaign. Grana recorded his first collegiate goal back on September 8 against Sacred Heart. Following some fancy footwork from teammate Alvin Dahn on the end line outside the box, a cross reversed field to the feet of Grana. He took a touch and sent it screaming through a crowd across the mouth of goal and inside the far post. David only played Section V soccer during his sophomore school year at Greece Athena due to splitting pitch time over that four-year span with the United States Soccer Development Academy. Current St. Bonaventure freshman midfielder Cuneyt Vardar, formerly of Webster Thomas, and a Rutgers commitment presently playing for Greece Athena in Dylan McDermott recently did similar splitting.

 

60′ | HAWK GOAL! Sophomore midfielder Alvin Dahn with a couple of nice moves to hit wide open sophomore defender David Grana; Grana puts away his first collegiate goal to extend SJU’s lead by two!

SJU 3, Sacred Heart 1 #THWND #SoarHigher

— SJU Hawks Men’s Soccer (@SJUHawks_MSoc) September 9, 2018