NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - A year ago, North Salem’s boys soccer team stepped off the bus after winning the program’s first state title since 2016 and immediately began talking about a repeat. Coach Ron Hendrie gathered the returning players in a circle and laid out what it would take to get back to Middletown.
They listened. They believed. And they delivered.
With a 3–0 win over Wilson High School on Nov. 16, the Tigers secured back-to-back Class C state championships, completing a dominant playoff run in which they allowed only two goals. It’s the fourth state crown in program history and the first time North Salem boys soccer has ever gone “back to back.”
“This season will live fondly in my memory forever,” Hendrie said. “Not simply because of the State Championship, but because the guys worked hard and got along well. It made our journey an enjoyable one.”
Road to Repeat
North Salem’s postseason march kicked into high gear with a 5–0 regional win over Northern Adirondack, then a 4–1 dismantling of Maple Hill in the state semifinal. Despite entering the half in a scoreless deadlock, Hendrie’s team used halftime adjustments—many of which mirrored their preparation for Wilson—to break open the match.
Those same principles carried into the championship.
“Since our halftime adjustments worked wonders against Maple Hill, we carried those forward against Wilson,” Hendrie said.
With Wilson boasting a 55-goal scorer, Hendrie emphasized neutralizing long balls and winning possession back “within seconds of a turnover.”
His players executed perfectly.
Sophomore Steven Gamez struck early, setting the tone just minutes into the final. The Tigers hit the post twice shortly after, while their suffocating defense held Wilson to just one first-half shot. When Juben Lazri buried a second-half goal off a feed from Jhon Rodriguez, the celebration felt inevitable. Senior captain Sean Randall’s penalty kick minutes later sealed the championship.
“After that, it was pretty much all over,” Randall said. “Scoring felt amazing because of the point in the game it came at. Being able to help us lock up our state title meant the world.”
As the final whistle blew, the Tigers stormed the turf, completing a journey that many players had been chasing since grade school.
“We talked about states after finding out what they meant in 4th grade,” senior captain Max Cotrone said. “Our dreams became reality.”
Defense for the Ages
The numbers are staggering: two goals allowed in the entire postseason.
But Hendrie says it wasn’t just the back line—it was the system.
“Throughout the entire season we’ve been working on what the Dutch once called ‘Total Football,’ where every player becomes a defender as soon as we lose possession,” he said. “The commentators even mentioned how quickly we won the ball back after losing it.”
Still, the individual talent was undeniable.
Cotrone, a two-time All-State center-back, anchored a group that included the “remarkable speed and strength” of Jameson Juan and Orlando Mulaj. Behind them, goalkeeper Anthony Federice—helped by training from assistant coach Mike Valenti—made a pivotal breakaway save in the final.
“We were playing like we all know how to play,” said Rodriguez. “We train on quick passing, one touch and pass. We work hard and play with confidence because we all knew what we wanted.”
For Cotrone, fulfilling the promise he made last year to return to the state championship was a point of pride.
“It wasn’t really a prediction—it was a statement,” he said. “With us seniors having such a strong leadership bond, I knew no one would be able to stop us unless we stopped ourselves.”
A Team Reinvented
Despite returning many contributors, North Salem had to reforge its core identity. Injuries—including a season-ending one to standout midfielder Isaac Rouse—forced players into new roles. Hendrie said the team embraced a “more modern formation,” and the improvement over the final week before states gave him goosebumps.
“I reminded myself how hard the guys were working,” he said. “I owed it to this group to come each day with a plan to fix what I saw as our most important flaws. Over the course of the last week, they worked hard and harmoniously to develop into an even better team than we already were.”
The attacking talent was undeniable. Wings Aidan Santis and Liam Keegan “shredded the flanks,” Hendrie said. Lazri and Randall formed a “dynamic duo” up top. And the midfield, guided by Gamez, Rodriguez, Patrick Dooley, and others, dominated possession on Middletown’s field.
Keegan attributed the offensive success to chemistry built over years.
“Most of us have played together for a long time,” he said. “Over the course of the season this only improved, and I think it could be seen as we continued to win games by multiple goals.”
The Weight of Expectation
Hendrie spent months emphasizing how hard it is to repeat.
“Every team that played us this year would be coming out playing their ‘A’ game,” he said. “Consequently, we were going to need to play our ‘A’ game every single time.”
The Tigers didn’t shy away from that challenge.
“This win compared to last year literally just doubled the excitement,” Cotrone said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be happier in my life than I was on Nov. 16.”
Randall agreed. “Last year’s win was sweet because of the comeback from injury,” he said. “But this year felt more surreal. It never crossed our minds that it could happen twice.”
Celebration and Future
After the final horn, the Tigers performed their signature chant before boarding a bus escorted home by the Croton Falls Fire Department—a hero’s welcome for a team that had, as Hendrie put it, “etched their names into the history books.”
With the campaign now complete, the squad will bid farewell to seniors Max Cotrone, Sean Randall, Orlando Mulaj, Aidan Santis, Patrick Dooley, Angel Romero, Andrew Varga, Jameson Juan, Kyle Li, and Anthony Federice.
Despite graduating 10 seniors, the Tigers believe they have the blueprint—and talent—to stay elite.
Rodriguez put it simply: “Next year we’re going for the three-peat.”
Keegan agrees. “With 18 players returning, we are very hopeful,” he said. “We all know we have the potential to be a very special team.”
And Hendrie, reflecting on a lineup he calls perhaps the strongest in program history, sees no shortage of firepower for 2026.
“The guys returning next year have already been planning how they are going to try to get us back to Middletown,” he said.
The Tigers broke an eight-year cycle to win back-to-back titles. Now, with talent and belief to spare, they’ll set their sights on breaking new ground yet again.
But for now, all that is left to do is celebrate once again. The 2025 North Salem Tigers are state champions
North Salem News would like to offer a special thanks to Coach Ron Hendrie, Athletic Director Denise Kiernan, Hugo Salinas, and the North Salem Booster Club for their help in covering the team this season.
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