West Hempstead aims for playoff spot

West Hempstead comes off an up-and-down season on the soccer pitch which saw the team finish with a 4-5-5 record. Scoring was difficult for the Rams in 2015, but an experienced defensive unit kept them in most games.

Despite a lack of size, and a dearth of scoring prowess, West Hempstead should be in the hunt for a playoff spot in Nassau Conference ABC-III. Expect Island Trees, Cold Spring Harbor, Seaford, Wheatley, Cold Spring Harbor, and Mineola to be among the teams fighting for conference supremacy. The team is off to a 1-2 start in league play.

The Rams will rely on solid goalkeeping, and a defensive style of play designed to limit their opponent’s scoring opportunities. If West Hempstead can keep the ball out of its end, and capitalize on opportunities, coach Chris Van Kovics feels good about his team’s ability to earn a postseason berth.

“Keeping the ball deep in our opponent’s zone, and finding a way to put balls in the net when we get chances are the keys,” Van Kovics said. “We don’t have the size that other teams have, so we have to use our quickness. It’s a game of failure. When a team makes a mistake, we have to find a way to score. We have to follow the blueprint. There’s no reason to think we can’t compete for a playoff spot.” 

Van Kovics is high on senior captain Franklin Macario, a player who saw time on defense, and at middie and forward as a junior. Macario has strong soccer intelligence, and provides the team with leadership. Stopper Dario Perciballi, also a senior captain, has emerged as one of the team’s top defenders. 

Joining Perciballi on the backline is a player who may be the team’s most improved player. Junior sweeper Tarik Can reads the game well and does an excellent job of clearing the ball out of the zone. Junior Tom Lee is a steady defender who always seems to be in the right place on the field. Senior captain Eric Cunningham returns in net for the Rams. Cunningham has year at the varsity level under his belt, and has gotten bigger and stronger. 

While the Rams won’t able to match opponent’s height, a pair of versatile players provide size, strength, and physicality. Senior captain John Molina and Urosh Dimitrijevic, a senior midfielder, are both skilled players who aren’t afraid to mix it up. Molina can play midfield, sweeper, or stopper. Dimitrijevic not only has strong ball skill, he will often be counted on to mark the opponent’s top offensive threat.

Junior striker Julio Ramirez is the team’s biggest offensive threat. He scored a pair of goals in a 5-1 victory over Clarke. Junior Eric Szabo should find the back of the net as well. Juniors Christino Maldanado and Jonathan Alonzo get the job done at midfield. The Rams will get a little of everything from junior Andres Salazar. 

The Rams welcome in Carle Place next Monday, Sept. 19 at 4:30 p.m.