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07/26/2020 12:00 AMAlthough the East Haven boys’ soccer team only won one game last year, Head Coach Mike Papantonio started to see the Yellowjackets improve on the field as the season unfolded. As East Haven looks toward a new season, Coach Papantonio is hoping that his returning athletes learned from a lot from last year’s leaders and will continue to make progress on the pitch.
The Easties featured eight seniors on their roster in 2019, including captains Telmo Romero, Diego Ortiz, and Alejandro Sanchez. Papantonio said that all three captains provided an example of what this year’s team should be striving for.
“We had a strong trio of senior captains last year. I asked a significant amount from those kids, and they delivered. They showed up every day, and they worked,” said Papantonio. “For the kids that are coming back this year, they watched that happen. They struggled throughout, and everyone who played last year wants to return this year. It just speaks to the leadership and the groundwork that those guys laid. Those guys set the bar high, and this team will have to work hard to meet it.”
Papantonio has yet to name captains for this year as he awaits more information about the potential of a fall season. However, when it comes to leaders, East Haven’s coach is expecting a big year both on and off the field from senior defender Matthew Torres and senior goalie Asa Myers. Papantonio said that Myers is a player who the Yellowjackets are “going to lean on,” and added that Torres has been crucial in terms of communicating with the team and setting up practices.
The Yellowjackets’ senior class also features midfielder Junnyor Torres, midfielder/defender Gianmarco Presiado, and defender/forward Leandro Soto-Molina. Victor Calvillo, who plays forward, and Lewis Agudelo, a center back, are also seniors on the team.
East Haven’s junior class includes Thanh Ngo and Brayan Crespo, who both play forward and midfielder; along with midfielders Erick Caguana, Merab Nabi, Ethar Al-hawari, Kevin Phan, and Frank Annunziato; and defender Victor Rolon.
Sophomore Christofher Torres will also be returning to the pitch this fall. Torres started every varsity game as a freshman for Coach Papantonio’s squad.
“We’re moving in the right direction. Looking at win and loss records are not the correct way to evaluate our performance. The way we ended the season kind of on an uptick, I think we will carry some of that momentum into this year,” Papantonio said. “Everything that I’m hearing from the kids is all positive. They want to get back and have another crack at it. We’ve got a really good group.”
East Haven began its conditioning program two weeks ago. Every player gets his temperature checked before each practice and must adhere to social distancing guidelines, wearing masks when not in action.
The Yellowjackets have been doing a lot of running and focusing on getting stronger during their conditioning sessions. Whether it be one-mile runs or full-field sprints, Coach Papantonio wants to make sure that his players are ready to deal with the rigors of a soccer season and have enough fuel in the tank to last through a complete game.
“The goal is to be able to play the full 80 minutes game in and game out,” said Papantonio. “Maintaining that level of pressure and intensity for 80 minutes is really my goal. To do that, we’re going to need numbers, and we’re going to need to be physically and mentally tough, which is the biggest hurdle.”
Coach Papantonio remains hopeful that the Easties will get a chance to take the field and see the dividends of all the hard work they did throughout the offseason. Papantonio wants his players to keep working hard to develop their own culture and build a winning program at East Haven.
“There’s a handful of games where I’m not expecting to just be competitive. I’m expecting to come away with a result,” Papantonio said. “I want to be in a position where, in the last 20 minutes of the game, we’re playing for a result, not for pride anymore.”
2020 East Haven Boys’ Soccer Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 10: at Branford at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 15: at Notre Dame- West Haven at 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 22: vs. Cheshire at 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24: at Lyman Hall at 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Guilford at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 30: vs. North Haven at 6 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 5: vs. Branford at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 7: vs. North Branford at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9: vs. Notre Dame- West Haven at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17: at Cheshire at 6 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 19: vs. Lyman Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 21: at Guilford at 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24: at North Haven at 5 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 26: at Career-Hillhouse at 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 28: vs. Platt Tech at 6 p.m.