It’s safe to say that the Weehawken High School boys’ soccer team hasn’t exactly enjoyed a ton of success over the last decade.
Without pulling any punches, the Indians have been downright dreadful. In four seasons from 2011 through 2015, the Indians won a total of four times. That’s right – just four. They were 4-53-7 over those four seasons.
Weehawken hasn’t come close to enjoying a .500 or better season dating back to 2010, when the Indians were 7-9-2. They suffered double digit loss seasons a total of seven times during that span.
Ready for this number? It’s almost numbing. Over the last 10 years, Weehawken’s boys’ soccer team posted a combined record of 39-122-17. That’s almost as painful as enduring four root canals with no Novacaine.
It’s astounding how veteran head coach Brian Fischer kept his sanity through all the tough times.
But Fischer saw some light at the end of the tunnel last season.
“It was actually the middle of last season, when we had a couple of victories that elevated our team,” Fischer said.
The Indians were a respectable 8-9-2 in 2019, easily the best record in recent memory.
Fischer was extremely optimistic because many of the key players on the squad a year ago were set to return this season.
“We have 11 seniors on the team who have been with us a while,” Fischer said. “We had a solid core returning this year. Having 11 seniors who have been together for four years on a small team is a significant amount.”
As the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season, Fischer couldn’t wait for his team to return.
“We really have started to develop over the four years,” Fischer said. “It’s amazing to see the hard work paying off.”
How much so? Well, the Indians owned an impressive 6-1 record after seven games. It’s an improvement very rarely seen in these parts.
“The highlight for us was that we went to Wood-Ridge and won there,” Fischer said. “Then, we beat them again. I don’t remember the last time we beat them. I think that solidified us as a contender this year.”
Needless to say, the Indians’ stellar improvement has caught a lot of people by surprise, even the head coach, who has had to endure nine straight losing seasons in charge.
“I knew that we would be competitive this year, because of the way we finished last year,” Fischer said. “But we’ve also had two freshmen who have made an impact. I think the freshmen have helped the seniors thrive.”
But amazingly – and almost unfairly – the Indians’ season came to sudden halt last week, when the Weehawken school district announced that all athletics would cease due to the coronavirus. The Weehawken athletic program is expected to resume play sometime next week, but the Indians will have lost four matches due to the suspension of play. It’s not known whether the Indians will be able to make up the lost games.
More importantly, the Indians are not going to have much time to practice or play before the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group I playoff game next week.
So the Indians were enjoying a great season, a year to remember, and the pandemic plowed the Indians under.
“We just had to pick ourselves up the floor and keep going,” Fischer said. “It was a shock to us. Our guys were a little sad and shocked. Our team had no issues with the virus and we get shut down out of caution. Our mantra all year has been you can’t take anything for granted. We had to embrace every single minute of the season.”
The Indians have been fortunate to have forward Lucas Pardo-Rea back for his senior campaign. Pardo-Rea, who attends High Tech but plays soccer for Weehawken, is one of the best goal scorers in the history of the program. Pardo-Rea has scored nine goals this season and has tallied 42 goals in his storied career, which includes twice being named to the All-North Jersey Interscholastic Conference squad.
On Sept. 10, 2018, Pardo-Rea set the school record for goals scored in a game, knocking home six goals in a win over Palisades Park, a record that stood for more than 30 years. Pardo-Rea was named Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week that week.
“He takes most of the attention, because most teams focus on him,” Fischer said. “We play with such confidence because we have a player like Lucas.”
Another key senior is forward Sofian Rahhali, who has added seven goals and three assists this season.
“His speed is insane,” Fischer said. “He’s a track athlete as well. He’s very athletic and that helps us.”
The Indians’ goalkeeper is junior Evin Serrano, who has been elevated to the position after senior starter Ray Inoa suffered a knee injury and was lost for the season.
“Evin was brand new to the sport,” Fischer said. “We were training him to be a defender, but we needed a goalie and his growth has been incredible.”
In his last game, Serrano had eight saves in posting a 3-0 shutout win over Hoboken – just his second game in net.
The Indians utilize three defenders, with senior Gregory Pashkovski at the center back.
“I think he’s one of the best defenders in the league,” Fischer said. “He has great instincts and has great feet. He makes the ball soar.”
Senior captain Jairo Garzon is another defender.
“He’s our vocal leader on the field,” Fischer said. “He provides a good mix of offensive skill with defensive toughness.”
Juniors Joshua Torbe-Navarro and Adrien Durasno are also solid defenders. Fischer switches those players in and out of the backline.
Senior Miguel Torres is a four-year starter in the midfield.
“We’re a better team when he has the ball at his feet,” Fischer said of Torres, who has six goals and four assists this season. “He’s the player we want with the ball.”
Senior Bryan Flores is another midfielder who can play either on the left or right side and has equal ability with either foot. Freshman Jordan Russell has scored three goals and added five assists.
“He’s extremely smooth and has made a big impact with us,” Fischer said.
Another freshman Theodore Swanson, has also been a big contributor in the midfield, leading the Indians in assists with seven.
“I never had two freshmen like these two,” Fischer said of Swanson and Russell. “They’ve earned their spots.”
Junior Constantinos Kottas is the Indians’ main reserve either at midfield or forward.
So the Indians have to wait out the quarantine period and hope that they can pick it up where they left off.
“I feel bad for the seniors,” Fischer said. “Lucas had a chance to break some records and we were contending for the league title. I think we spent one day sulking about it and went back to work in Zoom meetings. The kids have been embracing it as much as possible. I think we’re focusing on how lucky we are to have this season and to play at such a nice facility (the Indians play right on the Hudson River waterfront with the skyline as a backdrop). We’re in a wait-and-see mode.”
Much like most of everyone else during this pandemic…
As everyone knows, the coronavirus has caused total havoc to administrators, coaches and players galore, with safety precautions, shutdowns, cancellations and rescheduling. A circus clown hasn’t done as much juggling as some of those involved in the COVID world of high school sports.
No one has had to endure more maneuvering than Secaucus athletic director and head football coach Charlie Voorhees, who has to worry about every little thing involving Patriot sports, not just his football team. It has been maddening, but Voorhees has kept a stiff upper lip and a sense of reality.
“When we started this season, we explained to all the kids that it could end at any second,” Voorhees said. “We were operating day to day and week to week. We told them all that it could get shut down at any minute. I felt that we had a good plan.”
Not only did Voorhees have to worry about the entire Secaucus athletic department, but he also was in charge of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference football committee.
“I felt pretty good where we were to start the season,” Voorhees said.
But three days before the first kickoff, North Arlington suffered a slight setback, with two athletes testing positive for the COVID-19, forcing postponement of the North Arlington football game against the Patriots.
Voorhees acted quickly and turned the game into an event, not wasting a minute.
“We made it Senior Night,” Voorhees said. “We had yearbook pictures taken. We scrimmaged against each other. At least we had something.”
Voorhees moved the North Arlington game to the first week of November and moved on. The Patriots played Cresskill Oct. 9 and suffered a tough 41-6 setback. But they have not played since. It’s been a month of cancellations and postponements.
“We can’t point the fingers at anyone,” Voorhees said. “And it’s not just football. It’s boys’ and girls’ soccer and cross country. We’ve been doing Google meet together to stay ready.”
The Patriots have scheduled a game Nov. 14 against Wallington and Nov. 25 against North Arlington. The NJSIAA has ruled that there will be no fall sports activities after Thanksgiving Day. Voorhees may have to perform magic tricks to get a game in here and there somehow in between.
“We’re ready to go,” Voorhees said. “I’m banking on them doing the work on their own to get ready. Honestly, I really thought we would all be okay.”
Both Secaucus and Weehawken were in shutdown quarantine last week, causing both schools to miss out on the Hudson County Track Coaches Association championships at Bayonne County Park. The Patriot girls had a chance to do well in the race, as did top runner Haley Nowak, who would have been among the top five finishers in the race…
Condolences to the family of Mike Jacobson, the former Hoboken High School great athlete who went on to become the head football coach for a few years. Jacobson died suddenly last week at the age of 70.
Jacobson was a good player for the Red Wings in the early 1970s, then went on to have a fine career at Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University). “Mikey Jake” played for Jack Stephans with the Gothic Knights and now both have passed away in the span of a month. I had the chance to speak with Mike at Jack Stephans’ wake the first week of October and now both Jersey City State Hall of Famers have left us in the span of three weeks. Prayers and thoughts to the Jacobson family, including his brother, Jim, who I’ve known since my days at St. Peter’s College some 30-plus years ago…
Hudson Reporter High School Football Top Five: 1. St. Peter’s Prep (4-0). 2. Hoboken (4-1). 3. Union City (2-3). 4. Lincoln (3-2). 5. Hudson Catholic (2-3)…
Hudson Reporter High School Soccer Top Five: 1. Union City (6-1). 2. St. Peter’s Prep (7-3). 3. Dickinson (7-1). 4. North Bergen (6-3). 5. Weehawken (6-1). – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at OGSMAR@aol.com
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