Kennedy soccer has new look

No matter how the 2010 campaign unfolded, Kennedy was going to have a tough time duplicating last season's 10-0-2 start that featured nine shutouts and a second-place finish in conference play. But the Cougars, already ushering in a host of new faces to the starting lineup, were dealt a huge blow when senior forward Andrew Hirsch was lost for the season just one week before the opener because of an ankle injury.

"There's a lot of new faces on the roster," coach Jason Elias said. "We lost a majority of our starters and we'll be a very different team."

While Kennedy tries to piece together the offense in the wake of Hirsch's injury, it is likely to rely on a pair of senior goalkeepers and an experienced midfield to pile up victories. Tom Anagnostou and Jason Weisfeld were rocks in net last season, yet neither was handed the starting job in training camp. "For the younger kids to see seniors still competing [for playing time] it says a lot," Elias said.

At the very least, the revamped defense could have a major contributor in and around the 18-yard line — senior Drew Satnick, a returning All County Honorable Mention sweeper. The problem lies in the fact that Satnick's talented enough to also slide up to center midfield, where he'd be an asset on both ends of the field.

Regardless of where he ultimately lines up, the rest of the defense is falling into place. Seniors Jason Brod and Mitch Kaplain are outside backers, and senior Andrew Boyer looks to hold down the sweeper position if Satnick moves forward one level. "The defense is a major question," Elias said. "The returning players didn't get a lot of time, but they're all seniors. We're looking forward to them stepping up and believe they will."

Senior Eric Friedlander and senior stopper Michael Teich are key cogs at midfield, though their strengths have led to a change in how the team will operate. "We've always been strong from the outside in," Elias said. "This year we'll attack more from the middle of the field."

The front line is full of promise and features a blend of athletic scorers. Kaplain will be moved around the field and used in a variety of ways, as Kennedy looks to force feed the talented senior down opponent's throats. "He's a guy that's willing to do anything for the team," Elias said. "He's not a player with a finite skill set. He can mark up a player or run away from them and put the ball in the back of the net. He's a great kid and we know we can expect 80 minutes out of him."

Seniors Justin Harrison, Justin Leiner and Peter Sherman are also part of a forward rotation that could be even more dynamic with the addition of Ben Rabinowitz, a speedy freshman who won a staggering 10 medals at the Macabi Games in August.

The Cougars will host their annual Richard Daoust Memorial on Oct. 2, with former head coach Rich Hamilton the guest of honor.