Younger Wantagh Boys Soccer Team Aims For Another Playoff Run

The boys soccer team is coming off a magical 2010 run that saw a senior-laden Warrior squad reach the Nassau County Class A title match before to South Side by a goal.

In order to have a similar playoff run in 2011, the Warriors will need to accomplish the feat with a far younger team and an even stronger conference.

Wantagh graduated 18 seniors from last year’s (11-2-5) team that captured the Conference IV regular season title in its first year competing in the challenging league. The conference will become even more grueling in 2011 when two-time Nassau County champion South Side joins the league and the exit of Westbury and Elmont, who finished at the bottom of the standings. Conference IV also features longtime boys soccer power Garden City as well as New Hyde Park, Roslyn and Jericho.

“All these teams are quality, quality teams,” said Wantagh boys soccer head coach Tom Liguori, who for the second year in a row coined a World Cup phrase when he described Conference IV as "the group of death."

In order to be one of the four teams from Conference IV to quality for the Nassau County playoffs, the Warriors will need to get production from many younger players after losing all but four starters. “We lost an army but we do have a cop of pretty talented young players,” said Liguori, a former Wantagh boys soccer player who is in his ninth year leading his alma mater. “I kind of like being under the radar.”

The Warriors will be led on and off the field in 2011 by senior center midfielder Jordan Zucker, who has been on varsity soccer since he was a freshman. “He’ll be a real go to player,” said Liguori.

Joining Zucker as captains are junior defender Danny Lennon and senior Alec Chapoteau. The tr-captains are three of Wantagh’s four returning starters along with junior Ryan Berry. Two young offensive players Liguori is hoping can provide a spark are sophomore Patrick Quigley and freshman Chris Taiby, who both competed at the academy level of youth soccer.

Starting off the 2011 in goal for Wantagh is junior Kevin Laibach, who was a standout on a Warrior junior varsity boys soccer team that only lost one game in 2010. “He’s a very polished goalkeeper,” said Liguori. “I feel pretty confident that he is going to do well for us.”

Senior Taylor Cain is also expected to see time in net.

After non-league games against Hewlett on Saturday and Calhoun this Monday, Wantagh opens up Conference IV play at New Hyde Park on Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m.