Lenox looks to rebuild after great senior class

The Lenox soccer team’s Isaac Gotterer makes a play on the ball in practice.

LENOX – Head boys’ soccer coach Scott Chadwick, who is now in his third year at the helm, is inheriting a three-time western Massachusetts champion team who has lost 15 seniors from last year’s state semi-finalist squad.

Despite the loss to central Massachusetts champion Sutton on penalty kicks, the Millionaires appear to be poised for another strong season with a core of talented players.

“They are always talented,” said fellow Lee coach Matt Kollmer of rival Lenox. “They are so talented year after year.”

Chadwick doesn’t see it that way, he understands that the development of a team is a process, from the younger players up to the upperclassmen, and he doesn’t know what to expect from this year’s team.

“The key is making sure there is continuity from the JV and varsity every year,” Chadwick said. “Learning how to integrate the younger players with the older players and building on our success every year.”

With only six returning players, Chadwick knows that his team “has a lot of work to do.” The Millionaires will be relying on a strong defensive backfield and midfield with some of their eight seniors.

Alex Pratt and Seamus Ryan will lead the midfield, while Andrew Vickery and a talented Abdul Haraidi from Saudi Arabia will take on the scoring load.

Along with Vickery, who had 10 goals last year, will be Liam Gennari, as Chadwick will go between playing a 4-4-2 and a 4-3-3, to counter some of the county’s best teams such as Monument Mountain, Pittsfield and Mt. Greylock.

“I still think we will be really strong and as we get along to our division tournament, we are usually in pretty good shape,” Chadwick said.

During the pre-season, Lenox got a rude awakening when they played Boston City powerhouse Somerville in Otis at the Lenox camp last week, the lopsided loss gave the Millionaires plenty of “humble pie” heading back to practice before the season opener versus Mt. Greylock.

“We got spanked by Somerville,” Chadwick said. “It was a piece of humble pie knowing there is a lot of work to be done this season. We are not going to get there without working hard and not working as a unit.”

Anchoring the backline will be Luke Martino, and goalie Trevor Hathaway. Hathaway has athletic ability but is working on being more of a vocal leader and improving on his aggressiveness in attacking loose balls that come in the box.

“We are working with him on vocal leadership from the back,” Chadwick said. “And his aggressiveness and organizing the defense in front of him.”

Chadwick said assistant coach Jeff Egan is working on Trevor’s ability to attack loose balls and to improve his aggressiveness which will be imperative if Lenox’s team is going to be western Massachusetts champion for a fourth time.

While the Millionaires may play a zone at times, Chadwick will also be expecting some big things on the outside in the midfield from Cavanaugh Wolski and Ben Ramondetta.

Chadwick who is one of the best coaches in the county, still has enough horses in the stable to make a run to the top of the division and beyond.

The one question mark is their goaltending, but come Sept. 7 against Mt. Greylock, expect the leadership of Vickery and company including Haraidi, to have a huge impact on the team’s success this year.

“I think we will be okay in the end,” said Chadwick.

Posted by Tim Davis on September 6, 2012. Filed under High School Sports,Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry