Thrilling soccer season fills school with pride

The red numbers quickly counted downwards on the scoreboard, the air was cold and filled with suspense. The buzzer rang and the Lawrence Woodmere Academy boys’ varsity soccer team won the playoff game, 2-1, against Long Island Lutheran!

The player’s faces illuminated the field with their proud, radiant smiles. For the seniors, it was a very memorable moment as it would be their last time qualifying for and playing in the Independent Private and Parochial Schools Athletic League championship game. LWA student body support played a significant part in boosting their confidence throughout the season.

First-time goalie Lamont Chapman Jr. ( class of 2014) set the record for most saves in the league. “The opportunity to join a sport I was not familiar with and then the honor to be recognized in it is one of the things that made this season really special,” he said, noting that his team would not be the same without the leadership of the senior captains, Matthew Irizarry (’14), Abraham Castillo (’14), and Alex Kompogiorgas (’14).

The team included players from all four grades in the Upper School, with the plethora of skills creating an interesting dynamic on the field. Each game was an exciting experience for each player, “We learned something new about strengths and weaknesses at every practice and every game,” Irizarry said. Under the guidance of coach Jeff Weiss, each member of the team knew from the beginning that his responsibility to the whole was not something to be taken lightly.

There were 10 regular season games. Sophomores, juniors and seniors alike had equal opportunity to show their skills as someone from each of those grade levels scored one or more goals this season. They learned to work effectively as a team and their record of 6 wins, 3 losses and 1 tie is not only impressive but also exciting for our school.

As the boys headed into the championship game, they knew that whatever the outcome of the game, our school community was immensely proud of how much they had achieved and how far they had come.

The frigid air seemed to trap the suspense during the game as the crisp white jerseys ran up and down the green field clashing with the maroon of the opposing team. LWA lost 1-0 against Our Savior and as the final red numbers counted down on the scoreboard and the buzzer sounded once again, the members of our team held their heads high.

For each player, the moment was special: For seniors, it was their last soccer game as a LWA Tiger; for the underclassmen, they knew that they now had to look forward to a new team with new strengths and weaknesses next fall.

The team knew that even though it lost, the support shown by peers and teachers was well-deserved. The boy’s varsity soccer team have brought pride to our school community and will continue to do so in seasons to come.