Glen Cove reloaded for success

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The Glen Cove boys’ soccer team, one year removed from winning the Nassau Class A and Co-Long Island championships, return to play this year looking to once again cause a ruckus in Conference A-2. Through its first six league games, the Big Red begin the new season 3-1-2. 

Experienced head coach Brian Smith believes that this team, with its system firmly established and his players constantly acclimating to the speed and intensity of the ongoing season, will continually improve.

“Right now, we’re a work in progress; we’re still putting some things together but we have guys that know what its like to be champions,” said Smith.

As with any program, new waves of young talent must come in and fill their predecessors shoes and work to be the measuring stick for the generation to follow. Fortunately for Glen Cove, its system includes some very talented seniors along with a crop of strong young players on the rise now filling feature roles for the Big Red.

One mainstay for Glen Cove in recent memory has been senior Jelson Bonilla, a multi-tooled returning striker whose apt for blowing past defenders is only comparable to his feather-soft touch on the ball.

Coach Smith was not one to mince words about the defending Conference A2 Offensive Player of the Year. “He’s one of the most skilled players in the entire state,” Smith said. “His touch, range, power, speed, and technical ability are superior to everybody else. He’s also a great kid, a captain and team leader.”

On the defensive end of the field, senior center back Justin Maldonado finds himself comfortably in the top 50 boys soccer players on Long Island along with Bonilla. Maldonado, a fearless competitor and ultimate countermeasure to the opponent’s star player, will play a huge role in this team’s success. “Justin won’t be beat by anyone; he’s one of the fastest in the county,” Smith said. “He’s got the technical ability to draw others off balance and take off.

Seniors Marlon Guillen and Ryan Greenfield also look to play big roles in setting up counter measures and pushing the ball into the offensive zone for the Big Red. “You need good facilitators and that is what Marlon is. He pushes the ball into the offensive zone and puts it where we look to attack from,” Smith said. “Ryan is a strong defensive player in the midfield. The ball will go through him and get pushed out to the wings to form counterattacks.”

Senior Eddie Yanes, a strong and physical player, also looks to bring an experienced level of play with his senior class.

Sophomores Niko Vidal and Yunior Velasquez have the coach excited about the future of this team. “Vidal has great touch, reminds me of some very good players I’ve had in the past and is going to blossom,” Smith said. “Velasquez is a stud. Incredible player. With those young guys, the future is bright.”