Pawling Soccer Tigers just need a win to bolster confidence
By John M. Benson
September 17, 2007
The Pawling are knocking on the door of a winning streak, and need only to finish a few of their excellent attacks on goal to get it started.
Pawling played very tough and very physical games in 1-0 loss to Beacon at the Dover Dragon Boys’ Soccer Friendship Tournament on Saturday, September 15, and the 2-0 loss to Tuckahoe at home on Monday, September 17.
The Tigers responded very well to the demand from coach Keith Yungel that they get a lot tougher, after Yungel told the players they were turning away from the ball and playing too soft in the 4-0 loss to Webutuck at the Dover Tournament on Friday, September 14.
In the two game since that loss to Webutuck, the Tigers have stuck their faces into traffic to take the contact, and they have carried the contact and the pressure to the opponents.
Eric Fischer has played well in the two games, allowing only three goals to two outstanding teams, with the help of defenders Malcolm Evans, Jiovanni Garcia, Kyle Dakin and Julian Kowalczyk.
Forward Josh Paugh said after the Tuckahoe game, “We just need to finish better. We are doing everything else pretty well, but we just need to punch in the goals and get on a winning streak.”
Forwards Chris Boyle, Josh Paugh, Brian Schurr, Dave Piazza and Alex Chiera and midfielders Dylan Simonetti, Stephen Simonetti, Joe Barthen, Gary D’Aguila, Daniel Epstein and Roman Miranda are moving the ball crisply up and down the field.
The players held captains’ practices all summer, and coach Yungel has successfully drilled the team in team play and field management, so that this team knows better than in recent years how to play the game.
Actually, the last time the Tigers were competitive, and the last time the Tigers had any fun playing soccer, Keith Yungel was in his senior season, setting the record he still holds for goals in a career at Pawling High School.
Yungel will get this program back to being competitive, and this team can get it started when they just get to the point of finishing and racking up the goals. |
