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Season Preview: New boys’ soccer coach stressing fun, resiliency

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The Panthers scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Fun is the name of the game.

First-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach Dan Rudolph wants his team to have some fun this fall. 

“They should enjoy practices, they should enjoy game day — just have a positive experience,” said Rudolph, who spent the past five years as Hingham’s JV coach. 

Rudolph also wants his group, which finished 2-14-2 last fall, to play competitive soccer. Part of that is learning from your mistakes, especially in a tough Patriot League. 

“We all agreed on and promised each other that we know we’re going to face adversity this season, playing against some good teams,” Rudolph said. “But we’re a good team too and we all agreed when we do come up against some adversity, we’re going to come out the next day and try to come up with some solutions with some of the things we can improve upon. We’re going to be resilient all season. There’s going to be some challenges, but we’re going to embrace them.”

Rudolph lauded his group of seniors (Andrew Chichlowski, Chase Fostello, Jack Navicky, Manny Osorio, Jackson Preskins and Devin Walsh) for leading the charge in that mindset. 

“We have a great group of senior leaders,” Rudolph said. “I’ve seen leadership from people in all different classes. All these kids are going to make contributions.” 

As for who is going to be contributing to the Panthers’ offense this season, Rudolph said he believes the goal scoring will come from a bevy of sources. 

“We’re a team,” Rudolph said. “We’re going to get goals from a lot of different people.”

Down the other end, sophomore Dillon Galanis takes over in net for Andrew Sullivan. 

W-H is back on the pitch Thursday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m. when it visits Plymouth South. 

“We’re a good team,” Rudolph said. “I hope to see exciting, great soccer. I think there’s potential here and we have hard working kids. These guys are going to go hard.

“We already know there’s going to be some tough games but we’re coming out the next day and we’re going to be better. We’re in it for the long haul.” 

Season Preview: New voice leading boys’ soccer team

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Senior captain Sean McAlpine during a scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Under new head coach Tony Reis, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team has its sights set on the state tournament.

There’s a voice leading the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team this fall.

Tony Reis has taken over the reins of the club from Dave Leahy, who stepped down after four seasons due to a work commitment.

Reis spent six seasons as the head coach at Upper Cape, where he won three league titles and qualified for the MIAA tournament every year.

“Coaching at Whitman-Hanson appears to be a good fit for me as the soccer culture in this area is quite different from the Bourne area as I am gradually embracing it all,” Reis said. “There are many more kids who are serious in regards to playing this sport as most of them also play club soccer in the spring.”

His message to the team is centered on positive sportsmanship.

“Teams can play aggressively clean, along with desire, hustle and passion and still come out victorious at the end of 80 minutes,” he said. “There’s no need for any of the unnecessary negative aspects of the sport, such as arguing with the referees, talking to opposing coaches, playing dirty at times.”

And while it may be a new spot, Reis’ expectations remain the same: Make the postseason again.

“My team goal to achieve this season is to qualify for the state tournament and with a winning record,” Reis said. “One can still get into tournament play with a .500 record.”

W-H, which went 6-7 last autumn, returns a solid core, led by senior captains Jacob Donovan (center defender), Sean McAlpine (right fullback) and Jayden Stafford (center midfielder).

“They all are good leaders in their own way, whether it’s vocally or leading by example,” Reis said.

Senior Adam Sousa, junior Wes Marquez and sophomore Ethan Fostello are also key returnees.

Reis coined Sousa as the team’s best forward and Marquez as its best skilled player. Fostello will be starting at right midfield.

“The squad’s strength is at the midfield,” Reis said. “Our starting four half backs, as we usually play a 4-4-2, are good and play well on both sides of the ball. We also have a couple of midfielders off the bench who won’t miss a beat when called on. As long as those positioned players play together as a team, we should compete in all our contests.”

Senior Ethan Smith, who shared time with Randy Elfman (now playing at Western New England University), takes over the No. 1 role in net.

In addition to Elfman, EMSCA All-Star Peyton Collins (four goals, team-high six assists last season) and Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Brendan Nehiley (team-high five goals, five assists last season) are also key departures.

W-H opens the new campaign Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. on the road at Quincy.

“A successful season for me is finishing in the top two or three of the entire league with the least amount of yellow card cautions shown to my players by match referees, no player getting seriously injured along with being competitive, score-wise, in at least most games,” Reis said.

Leahy steps down as boys’ soccer coach

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After four seasons, Dave Leahy has stepped down as the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach.

A challenge.

That’s what Dave Leahy was looking for — and had — when he took over the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team back in 2017.

Leahy inherited a team that won just one game the previous season, hadn’t been to the tournament in three years and plays in one of the toughest leagues in the state, to boot.

“My goal for the program was to make them believe they could be winners, by putting in the hard work, believing in the results and playing together,” he said.

His message resonated. The Panthers made the postseason in Year No. 1 and went on to two times in his first three years.

But after a four-year run at W-H, which saw the program finish about .500 twice, Leahy has resigned due to work commitments.

“I’m very proud of what the team was able to do during my four years at W-H,” Leahy said. “In three out of the four years we were a playoff-quality team. Every year we had a member of the team graduate and go to play soccer in college, including two that will play this fall. As a team, we started to believe we could defeat the perennial power houses in our difficult league.”

And as a team, W-H kept it positive on the pitch.

“We were good sportsman in my four years, never getting a red card and getting few yellow cards over that time,” Leahy said. “Our style of soccer became very fun to watch overall.”

Leahy said it was a difficult decision to step down.

“It was very hard,” he said. “I really enjoyed being a Panther. Plus, the current team is ready to have a very strong year, and more importantly they are a great group. I wanted to be there to help lead them in any way I could.”

What’s Leahy most proud of accomplishing during his tenure at W-H?

“I’m most proud that opponents and observers of the team respect us now,” he said. “Every team knew they had to play their best, or we were going to come away happy if they didn’t.”

Leahy said he enjoyed his time on the Panthers’ sideline.

“It was a pleasure coaching at W-H,” Leahy said. “I got to coach some incredible young men. Everything wasn’t always easy, as most high school coaches and teachers find in our current times, but the positives were so much greater than the negatives. I hope for nothing but the best for the players I’ve coached at W-H and good luck to ones I didn’t get a chance to coach.”

Season Review: Boys’ soccer meets challenges

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The boys’ soccer team huddles up. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team was a tough out this season.

Proud.  

It’s what fourth-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy is of his club following this past fall. 

“We faced challenges that no Whitman-Hanson team has ever had to endure, but each and every one of these players met the challenges of this 2020 COVID season,” Leahy said. “We have really turned a corner in our program where we expect to now be in every game. This group further put in the minds of our opponents that facing the Panthers is a very difficult challenge.” 

The Panthers finished the season with a 6-7 record, which included a 2-1 win over Hanover in the first round of the Patriot Cup before falling to Duxbury, 3-2, in double overtime the following game. The Panthers lost four games by just one goal. They were defeated by Duxbury, 2-1, in the regular season, dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker against Hingham in the 77th minute and fell to Marshfield, 2-1. 

“We really enjoyed our schedule in a shortened, uncertain season,” Leahy said. “Every single game was a playoff-like atmosphere. So, if we were going to have a shortened schedule, this was perfect for us to show what we can do and get better.” 

Leahy said his team’s strength was its courage. 

“Our style of soccer we have created at Whitman-Hanson takes a lot of bravery to play correctly against top competition,” said the head coach. “We showed that we are brave enough to play our game against anyone.” 

Senior captains Peyton Collins and Brendan Nehiley set the tone for the Panthers this fall. 

A forward, Nehiley scored a team-high five goals to go along with five assists and was named a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star. Leahy said Nehiley’s summertime job landscaping played a big part in his success. 

“This grown up maturity and physical strength he gained from this made him ready to help lead our group and be stronger to make a real presence known in each game,” Leahy said. “Brendan put this strength and maturity on display this season. He will be missed.” 

Collins, who returned to the team last year after spending his sophomore season at Boston College High, will also be missed. The midfielder netted four goals and dished out a team-high six assists and was tabbed an EMSCA All-Star.  

“Peyton brings professionalism in how he approaches every single part of our training sessions and our games,” Leahy explained. “His will to compete every second was his best quality he passed on to our team, and his intelligence on the ball will be sorely missed.” 

Junior captain Sean McAlpine anchored the defense in front of the goalkeeping tandem of senior Randy Elfman and junior Ethan Smith. 

“Sean is a natural leader and his communication is second to none at his age,” Leahy said. “Sean and senior captain Dalton Desrocher really delivered this summer holding training sessions that were safe and competitive all summer long. Every other player played a big role in making us such a competitive team this season.”

And McAlpine, along with the likes of Jack Allen (junior midfielder), Alex Chichlowski (junior center back), Wesley Silva Marquez (sophomore striker)  and Jayden Stafford (junior midfielder) should play a big role in making the Panthers a competitive team next season. 

“We needed to go out and prove ourselves each and every game and every practice,” Leahy said. “We hope to carry this chip on our shoulders next season as well.

“We achieved our main goal of staying healthy during this pandemic, and we kept pushing our program to demand respect in this very tough division. Next fall, we start all over again.”

Season Preview: For boys’ soccer team, improving is the goal

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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.”

‘Tis the season: Panther athletes get set to play on a very different field

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The fall sports season starts on Friday, Sept. 18 at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

The wait is almost over.

After nearly six months without high school sports, the fall season is finally set to get underway tomorrow at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Cross country, field hockey, boys’ golf, soccer and girls’ volleyball will all begin practice. Football and fall cheerleading were moved to February.

“These have been difficult times for all of us, but especially our kids,” said W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers. “I am so excited to see them back with their coaches and teammates. I’m not sure people truly understand how much being part of a team means to our students but I know this will help them deal with these uncertain times.

“Our teachers have been working so hard for the return to school and the same holds true for our coaches. I hope everyone remembers that this is uncharted territory for all of us and we will do the best we can to serve our students the best we can. We will learn as we go and adjust when necessary.”

There are a few major changes coming to some sports. Field hockey will be played 7-on-7 instead of 11-on-11. There will be no throw-ins, slide tackling or heading the ball in soccer.

“This season is most certainly challenging, but we will meet this challenge with a covered smile,” said boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy.

That feeling is universal.

“I’m very excited that we get the chance to play this season,” said girls’ soccer junior Kelsee Wozniak. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge with the new rules, but the fact we even are allowed to play is great.”

Said girls’ volleyball junior Lily Welch: “All of my teammates and I are super excited about having a season. Even though it’s hard under the guidelines, we have all been getting together and training with each other. We have also had the chance to be teachers and work with the incoming freshman and I love that.”

There also won’t be a state tournament, but Wozniak said she’ll have no issue staying motivated playing in the Patriot League.

“We play in a very strong conference with talented teams,” she said. “Our goal is to compete and win our league. That will drive us every day to work very hard as a team.”

Regardless of what this upcoming season will look like or even how it may play out, one thing is certain heading into it.

“I can’t wait to get started,” said boys’ and girls’ cross country head coach Steve George.

Kelly points the way for W-H boys’ basketball

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Stevie Kelly slices to the hoop for two. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Stevie Kelly is the floor general for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team.

At the outset of last winter, Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball head coach Bob Rodgers wasn’t sure who was going to emerge as his team’s starting point guard.

It didn’t take long to figure out. Insert Stevie Kelly, a then-junior coming off a Patriot League All-Star season as a center back in soccer.

“Pretty much our first game (we knew he was our point guard),” Rodgers said. 

Kelly was no stranger to Rodgers, but like most young players — he had some work to do entering the year.  

“I’ve known Stevie since second grade and watched him coming to my camps,” Rodgers said. “I’ve known him his whole life, he’s always been a great athlete, and when he was a freshman and sophomore, I always saw great potential in him, but he had to mature.”

He did and became a Patriot League All-Star on the court in the process, dishing out 136 assists and steering the Panthers to the Div. 2 South semifinals, which included a stunning upset over top-seeded Randolph, a game in which Kelly hit a clutch layup in the final minutes to help seal the victory. 

“I didn’t expect to have as big of a junior season as I had,” Kelly said. “I just went in working hard.”

Said Rodgers: “Stevie is tough as nails. He’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever coached. He just competes hard all the time.” 

This season, Kelly, who is now a senior captain, has elevated his game to another level, despite an extended soccer season that culminated with a spot in the EMass All-Star game in late November. 

“After soccer practice, I would come up into the gym and take some of my teammates and if they’re not up here, I’m up here by myself,” Kelly said. 

Rodgers noticed the dedication.  

“He’s improved immensely,” Rodgers said. “His shooting and passing are both better.”

But where Kelly has shown the most growth from last winter is with his communication on the court. 

“Talking is probably the hardest skill to be taught to any basketball player,” Rodgers said. “Stevie was at the point where he could talk about what he was doing and where his game was or his defenders were. Great point guards see it all. We’ve started to see Stevie do that more. The great point guards that we’ve had at Whitman-Hanson are the guys that make everyone around them better.”

Kelly has been doing just that. He posted a triple-double in win over Marshfield on Friday, Jan. 17, scoring 24 points, dishing out 11 assists and corralling 10 rebounds.

“I look to attack first and I try to get by my guy and if someone helps, I’ll just hit Ben Rice or someone in the corner or J.Z. (John Zeidan) down low, but if nobody stops me, I’ll just go to the hoop,” he said. 

 Kelly also had 11 assists in a win over Pembroke earlier in the season on Jan. 8. 

“He’s obviously one of the best in the league at getting to the basket,” said Rice, a fellow senior captain. “He’s quick. He can do a lot of things. He helps me get open because he has really good court vision.”

The Panthers are off to a 10-2 start so far this season, and if they’re going to get where they want, Kelly is going to be key. 

“If you look in the gym at the banners of the South Sectional titles, those teams communicated,” Rodgers said.  “And if Stevie does that, then it becomes contagious and the rest of the guys do that. Out of all the things we try and work on with the team — communication and sharing the ball are the two things we need to do to reach our potential.”

Season Review: Panther boys’ soccer team has a rebound year

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Brendan Nehiley battles for the ball during the Panthers’ game against Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers made the tournament for the second time in three years.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team set out to put a disappointing four-win campaign last fall behind it, and it did just that.

The Panthers went 10-8-2, earning a berth in the Div. 2 South tournament for the second time in three years. The Panthers, entered as the 11th seed, and fell to Bishop Feehan, 2-1, in the first round.

“This was a good year for us, and I am proud of the whole program because we seemed to have a lot of fun this season and we learned more as a result,” said third-year W-H head coach Dave Leahy.

The loss to the Shamrocks put a punctuation mark on the careers of Jason Brodeur and Stevie Kelly. Both were league all-stars and two-year captains.

A forward headed to Endicott College, Brodeur paced the Panthers with 17 goals.

“Jason came into this season having improved a great deal,” Leahy said. “He had a good overall season, but I think he started to play his best soccer toward the end of the season, and this is exactly what every leader should do. Jason grew as a leader and he was a great example for us all.”

Kelly, who was also a league all-star last season, anchored the defense and was tabbed to the EMass all-state team.

“He managed to improve even more this year,” Leahy said. “Halfway through the season, he really started to take on his leadership role and pushed his teammates to be their best, by being just a great example of how to work hard everyday, 24/7. Stevie showed this program what hard work can do for you.”

Another prime example of what hard work can do for you is senior goaltender Andrew Sullivan, who looked like a different player this past fall. He turned the goaltending position from an Achilles heel last autumn to a strength this season.  After a strong start to the year, Leahy couldn’t overlook what he was doing, so he made him a captain.

“Sully had one of the best turn around seasons I have been a part of coaching,” Leahy said. “He worked as hard as he could immediately following last year‘s season, all the way until last week. He gained confidence from this work and he became an outstanding example for his teammates and the whole program.”

The transfer back to W-H of juniors Joel Arsenault and Peyton Collins had an immense impact on the Panthers’ season as well. Arsenault had five goals and two assists, while Collins had four goals and a co-team-high seven assists, before his season was cut short due to an injury on Oct. 7 against Marshfield.

“Peyton didn‘t skip a beat, and he basically joined the coaching staff the rest of the way,” Leahy said. “What a great leader and future coach Peyton is.”

Leahy knew not having Collins on the field was going to challenge his team, which responded by winning its next game, 1-0, at Martha’s Vineyard.

“It was a character test for us and we came away with a victory and important belief,” Leahy said. “That allowed us to have success against Duxbury (2-0 win), Hingham (1-1 tie) and come very close to beating Bishop Feehan.”

With Arsenault and Collins, both of whom can play midfield and forward, headlining the returning players next fall, along with junior midfielder Brendan Nehiley (seven goals, seven assists) and sophomore center back Alex Chichlowski, Leahy is optimistic for what the future holds.

“The outlook of the program is to get back to the playoffs again next season,” said the coach. “Keep learning and keep getting better.”

Season Preview: For boys’ soccer, disappointment part of the process

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Jason Brodeur. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers are using a disappointing 2018 campaign as a lesson.

If you don’t fail, you don’t learn.

That saying fits the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team quite well.

Last fall’s 4-14-1 campaign was filled with disappointment — from injuries to the scoreboard. But as disappointing as it was, there were some valuable lessons gained along the way.

“We were ready to do well and possibly make the playoffs two years in a row, but we had a lot of bad luck and we didn’t quite have the maturity and experience as a group to face the adversity the 2018 season threw at us,” said third-year W-H head coach Dave Leahy. “But the players definitely learned from last season and they are now hungrier and more committed than we have been in my time at W-H as a result of going through last year’s season.”

The objective this autumn is to keep heads held high up no matter how tough the going gets.

“The goal this season is being positive and avoiding negativity during training and games,” Leahy said. “We don’t want to disrupt team focus and motivation on and off the field.”

As for talent, the Panthers welcome back plenty of it. Seniors Stevie Kelly and Jason Brodeur both return as captains.

A league all-star last year, Kelly anchors the backline.

“Stevie works harder than most on and off the field,” Leahy said. “He is an excellent two-sport athlete. He gives everything he has to both sports, and the result is an incredibly hard-working, athletic, leader that will do anything for his team.”

Brodeur led the Panthers in scoring last season with nine goals and four assists from his forward position.

“Jason is a great kid,” Leahy said. “He brings a passion to our squad, while also realizing the game at the end of the day is supposed to fun. Jason has worked hard to be better at his strengths and especially working on things he thought he could improve upon.”

With the rash of injuries last season, junior midfielder Dalton Desrocher received extended playing time and took advantage of the opportunity, tallying four goals, and Leahy believes he can be even better.

“Dalton Desrocher was our most improved player last year, and he continues to improve,” Leahy said. “Dalton can play on both sides of the ball at a high level. He is very important to our team.”

Three key cogs to the Panthers’ 2017 tournament team have also come back, one way or another. Senior midfielder Adam Milewski returns from a broken ankle, while junior midfielders Joel Arsenault and Peyton Collins have transferred back to W-H. A healthy junior midfielder Brendan Nehiley, who missed a big chunk of last season with an injury, will also be key.

Goaltending was a bit of an Achilles’ heel last year for W-H, but Leahy said he’s liked what he’s seen so far from senior returner Andrew Sullivan.

“[He] put in a great effort in the offseason to be a better goalie,” said the coach. “He is looking very good thus far. He is a great leader and example for our team.”

The Panthers open the season Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. on the road against Plymouth South.

“I would really like to see team camaraderie being strengthened, team defense being established and team belief being widespread in the first few weeks,” Leahy said. “We hope to make teams feel uncomfortable when they play us.”

Season Review: For boys’ soccer team, an ‘unlucky, learning’ season

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The Panthers huddle up. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers had a four-win season due to a variety of reasons.

Head coach Dave Leahy described this past season as an unlucky, learning experience for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team, which went 4-14-1.

The Panthers were down three key pieces before the season even began with the transfers of sophomores Peyton Collins to BC High and Joel Arsenault to Brockton and broken ankle of junior midfielder Adam Milewski, sustained in the preseason.

However, the Panthers hung tough at the outset — rallying around the losses rather than using them as excuses — as evident by their 2-0 start.

But once they got into their first half of league play, the Panthers dropped six of their next seven, and finding the net was becoming an issue. W-H pumped in just 10 goals over those seven games. Four of them came in a 4-1 victory over Plymouth South.

“The biggest difference between this year and last year (11-8-1) was the group of seniors,” the second-year head coach said. “Last year we had more seniors who had played together for many years. This year our group of seniors was smaller in numbers and had played together a lot less.”

As the fall wore on, W-H lost sophomore starter Brendan Nehiley for two weeks and junior starting goalie Andrew Sullivan for the last fourth of the season.

With the rash of injuries came opportunities, and sophomore Dalton Desrocher took advantage.

“Dalton Desrocher stepped up and had a consistent season in the center midfield positions, playing consistent defense, passing the ball well and adding a few goals,” Leahy said.

The boys did finish the year on a high note with a 2-1 triumph over Rockland.

“It was like our only playoff game,” Leahy said. “It was important for seniors to go away with a positive and for returning players to have something to build on in the preseason.”

The Panthers were led on offense by nine goals and three assists from junior captain Jason Broduer and seven goals and four assists from senior Nolan Clack.

The defense was buoyed by senior Ben Rogers and junior captain Stevie Kelly, the team’s lone Patriot League All-Star.

Leahy said as disappointing as the campaign was, he’s optimistic the team can use it to its advantage.

“We worked very hard as a group heading into the 2018 season, but bad luck got in our way,” Leahy said. “I hope the disappointments felt by returning players in the program will feel motivated to improve as much as they possibly can to get us back on the more successful side in 2019.”