As the leaves start to change color and a chill emerges in the air, high school athletes across Westchester County all have their focus on one thing: The playoffs. The Greeley Quakers boy’s soccer team, a team that has shown resilience and skill throughout the season, aims to capitalize on their momentum heading into the playoffs.
The 2023-2024 Greeley soccer team had a disappointing season that fell short of the players and coaches’ expectations. The team finished with a 6-9-2 record, and was eliminated in the first round of the sectional playoffs in a tough loss to Harrison. The Greeley Quakers soccer team looked to bounce back stronger this season, aiming to improve their performance and make a deep run in the playoffs. And they did not disappoint. The men in orange and blue improved their record to 9-2-4 and have an upcoming match against Ossining on Saturday to close out their season. The team returned 18 of their 27 players from last year, which included 12 seniors. The team is very experienced, and captains Maxi Kolev, Ryder Goodman, and Steven Kang are determined to make this season different from last year.
The Quakers began their season on an inconsistent basis. While they managed to beat Whitman High School in Long Island and Clarkstown North, the team faced adversity in their next run of games The low point of the season came on September 14th, when Mahopac surprisingly dominated Greeley 3-0, handing them their first loss of the season. Now sitting at 2-1-1, Greeley had a massive game vs Yorktown. Students packed the stands to show support for the team. The Quakers let up an early goal, and as time dwindled, it seemed inevitable that Greeley would suffer a disappointing home defeat for their second consecutive loss. At this moment, senior leader and captain Maxi Kolev stepped up and made a massive play. From way outside of the box, Maxi delivered a beautiful ball to the bottom right corner, perfectly for Junior winger Dylan Solomon. Solomon headed it in with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game, leading to a massive celebration from the team and its supporters. This seemed to be the turning point for the squad, as they finished the game with a 1-1 draw after all hope had seemed to be gone. The team followed up the exhilarating draw with four straight wins, including a massive 2-1 victory vs their crosstown rivals Fox Lane, who bested them twice last year. The offense exploded in this four-game run, scoring 17 goals. Dylan Solomon continued to emerge as a breakout player, as he tallied a hat trick in a 7-0 thrashing of Lincoln. The team now sat at 6-1-2, sitting near the top of the Class AA standings.
The team’s goals of finishing at the top of the section and winning a sectional title are now within reach. The team has gone 2-1-3 since this four-game winning streak. Now sitting at 9-2-5, it is clear to everyone in section AA that Greeley is a legitimate threat and among the favorites to win the section title. After a tough loss a week ago against White Plains, the team ended the season. If Greeley can maintain their stellar defense and goaltending, along with their potent and explosive offense, the team should be able to avenge last season’s early playoff exit and battle for a spot in the state playoffs.
