A current group of seniors that goes eight deep deserves much credit from putting Baldwin’s boys’ soccer program back on the map following a couple of lean seasons.
The Bruins are 21-5-9 over their past 35 conference games, including a 5-0-2 mark in AAA this season as the midway mark approaches. They’ve allowed just two goals through seven matches and are shaping up to be an extremely difficult out come playoff time.
“The past three years we’ve been good enough to win the county,” coach Chris Soupios said. “The last two playoff losses we made a few crucial mistakes that knocked us out. This senior group changed the direction of the program not just with their ability but their attitudes. To have one more shot with them, you really want to see them go out on top.”
The list of county championship contenders, however, runs as deep as Baldwin’s roster. “The standings are so close,” Soupios said. “We’re at the head of the table now, but a loss or two and we could drop to sixth. In this conference it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you need to bring it every day.”
Five of the last seven games are against teams right behind the Bruins in the standings, including a big matchup at Syosset this Saturday at 4 p.m. All but two of their games are on the road this season due to ongoing construction of a new turf field at the high school. It will host Senior Day Oct. 19 against Uniondale at Oceanside Park and Soupios is hopeful any playoff games Baldwin is the lower seed can be played at a neutral site.