The boys’ soccer team is looking for constant improvement this season.
The goals are pretty simple this fall for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team.
“Keeping our health is No. 1,” said fourth-year head coach Dave Leahy. “Then improving and having fun are right behind our health.”
Leahy’s messages have resonated since he’s taken the helm of the Panthers, leading them to the tournament in two of the last three seasons, including last fall. There may not be a state tournament to aim for this season, but the philosophy doesn’t waiver.
“To keep building the program, we have to look at how hard we worked in the off-season, and I’d say that as a group this W-H team worked very hard in the offseason,” he said. “Now we just put all that hard work into a team effort and keep improving each day together.”
The departure of League All-Stars and two-year captains, Stevie Kelly and Jason Broduer, left immense voids for W-H. Brodeur, who is now at Endicott College, paced the Panthers with 17 goals last season, while Kelly anchored the defense and was named to the EMass all-state team. Fellow captain and netminder Andrew Sullivan also graduated. The trio has passed the torch to now-seniors Peyton Collins, Dalton Desrocher, Brendan Nehiley and junior Sean McAlpine this fall.
“They all bring great leadership intangibles to the team, and each has something different to add to the group,” Leahy said of his captains this season. “This is an extremely hard time to be a captain, [but] they have been outstanding thus far.”
Senior Randy Elfman has replaced Sullivan in goal.
“Using Sully’s example, Randy worked extremely hard since the end of last fall to make himself into the best goalie he could, and he definitely has improved a lot,” Leahy said. “He looks to have a strong senior season.”
W-H will be back on the pitch Tuesday, Oct. 27 at home against Silver Lake at 4 p.m.
“[We] are a unified team that works hard each and every day,” Leahy said. “I’d like to see this continue.”