CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - Last year, John Jay finished with a 7-8 record and fell in the sectional semifinals. Rye were the culprits, while Somers and Pelham were also among the tough opponents on the schedule. But playing a challenging slate will only benefit the Wolves, according to head coach Mike Bocklet.
“We were really young last year, so having that experience under our belt is definitely a good thing,” he said.
That may be true, but with five years of varsity experience, it’s hard to imagine Blake O’Callaghan was ever truly young and inexperienced.
“Blake is fantastic—an incredible kid, first and foremost,” Bocklet said of his goalie. “He’s a great leader on and off the field and is incredibly vocal, always communicating with the defense.”
At his side, Peter Hill serves as co-captain and will join forces with Porter Bysshe and Nick Harris.
“It’s nice having those guys back,” Bocklet added.
With the addition of some young talent, the team’s chemistry is already taking shape.
“They’re very athletic,” Bocklet said. “They’re unified and committed to playing strong team defense.”
In transition, Dino Rajamani will lead a group of midfielders that Bocklet doesn’t want to restrict.
“All of our poles handle the ball well,” he said. “One of our goals is not to limit them in transition and to give them the green light when we make stops.”
On the attack, James Tesi will be the focal point. While winning the league and a sectional title is always the ultimate goal, Bocklet is placing an emphasis on the process.
“We want to achieve smaller goals in practice that lead to strong performances on game day,” he said.
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