Boys Soccer Bounces Back with Playoff Berth

Andre Sobolev ‘27 controls the ball against Brooklyn Tech on September 17. *Photo: Continental Studios*

By TYLER KATSURA and NATHAN BARENBAUM

Tyler Katsura is a member of the Boys Soccer team.

After a strong bounceback season, the Boys Soccer team ended their run at the hands of number 6 seed Bayside High School in the first round of the playoffs on October 27 by a score of 4-0.

After not earning a playoff berth for two consecutive seasons, the team finished 5-4-1 and were the 27th seed in the city this year.

“I’m very pleased with the overall outcome,” said Mr. Daniel Warshall, the team’s head coach. “To go from a bottom team in the division to making the playoffs is a great starting point, and now the standard has been set.”

Making the playoffs was even more impressive considering the loss of key seniors such as former captain Ethan Lager, who now plays Division II soccer at Adelphi University.

“The seniors were huge mentors for us,” said Benjamin Lager ‘27, Ethan’s brother. “I really looked up to them.”

After an impressive 6-2 victory in the opening game of the season against New Utrecht on September 8, the team went on to lose their next three in a row.

“The energy in the team definitely felt drained,” said Joshua Finkelstein ‘25. “But we couldn't let that do more damage than it already did.”

The Hornets showed resiliency by losing just one of their next five, taking a 2-1 victory along the way in the Battle of Bedford against James Madison.

“It felt very good to beat our rivals, especially after a long period of time of not doing it,” said Giovanni Jacobo ‘25. “This was a big step for us in making a name for ourselves as a team.”

They clinched a playoff spot in the final game of the season with a 5-1 victory over Abraham Lincoln on October 19.

“We were down 1-0 and then our teammate got injured, so we fought back, left our hearts out on the field, and scored five goals for him,” said Andre Sobolev ‘27.

A large reason why the team was able to hit a new gear during this year’s campaign was the addition of a new head coach, Mr. Warshall, who brought his past experiences as a player to benefit the squad.

“He was more than just a coach,” said Matthew Morales ‘26.

“He brought a new energy by always expecting 110% out of us and helped us bond like a family,” said Odil Abduahadov ‘27.

The team was also filled with plenty of exceptional performers. Sobolev finished with 13 goals and five assists on the season and was the third top scorer in the division. On his own, Sobolev had nearly double the amount of goals Midwood scored during the entirety of last season, when they fired in only seven total.

“Andre’s impact on the team and the season was outstanding,” said Mr. Warshall. “He’s a scoring threat anytime he’s on the field, and that’s something this team was lacking.”

“It felt incredible to contribute in my first year,” said Sobolev. “Helping the team achieve its goals was very rewarding.”

The veteran leadership was a massive boost in adding to the development of the squad and keeping spirits at a high.

“The seniors helped a ton," said freshman Ethan Taranukha. “They always showed me what I can do better to improve myself as a player and a person.”

“Our captains were the foundation of our success this season,” said Mr. Warshall. “They held themselves accountable and taught our younger players what hard work and dedication look like on and off the field.”

The team captains included seniors Benjamin Weiss, Eugene Babushkin, Prince Olivier Pierre and Tyler Katsura (one of this article’s authors).

“We exceeded expectations from last year and gave next year’s team a mission – to achieve greater success in the playoffs,” said Furqan Khalid ‘25.