Lakeland enters this season with four returnees that its coach Tim Hourahan can lean on in junior center-mid Luke Gomes, who was All-League in 2025, sophomore forward Nick Ahmataj, senior forward Matteo DiLaura, and junior winger Ryan Harmon.
Gomes was named team captain a week after last season concluded, when the Hornets went 11-6-1 and as the No. 5 seed, lost to top-seeded host Harrison 3-0 in the Section 1 Class AA semifinals. Hourahan said Gomes has done a good job growing as a leader throughout the team’s winter sessions, winter league, and summer league, where Lakeland lost to visiting Harrison 1-0 in the finals.
Hourahan said he will be adding an additional captain when practice starts, which was scheduled for Aug. 24.
“We want to field a squad that puts the team first, that is passionate about the program, and a connected group of young men that get real enjoyment from their teammates’ success,” said Hourahan, who has been the varsity boys soccer coach at Lakeland (243-121-26) since 2005 after coaching its JV for four years.
Lakeland opens the season at home against Hendrick Hudson at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, and then plays host Yorktown at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, before hosting the 13th Annual Westchester vs. Rockland challenge on Monday, Sept. 7, which includes five games, highlighted by Lakeland’s contest at 6 p.m. against Pearl River.
“We will field one of the least experienced teams in many years as we only return four starters,” Hourahan said. “We have had a really strong offseason trying to speed up the process with all of our new players as we captured the winter league indoor title and made it to the summer league championship game last month.”
However, he added that, “we are trying to find ways to replace All-State senior forward Vinny Karaqi who scored 23 goals and also replace all four players on our back line and our goalkeeper [Mason Eynon] who moved to Real Barca in Arizona.”
Hourahan said how quickly the Hornets can find their new starters and have them adjust to full-time varsity level competition, the sooner they will be a competitive team this fall.
“We will carry a large roster and have a ton of young eager players that will all get their chance early to become a mainstay in the lineup,” Hourahan said.
Yorktown will look to build off its appearance in last year’s Section 1 Class AA Tournament as the No. 9 seed, which ended with a 1-0 loss at Harrison in the quarterfinals, finishing at 7-7-4.
“We graduated our entire starting lineup from last year and also lost some players to the academy system,” said Yorktown third-year coach Justin Huff, who previously was an assistant coach at his alma mater from 2014-2020, including 2017 when the Huskers won the Section 1 Class AA title. “We have several players like senior goalie Joe Popovic, senior center back Christian Lippoth, seniors Jiho Kim, Eoghan Vallely and junior Lucas Flores, who gave us great minutes last year and will look to play an even bigger role this season.”
Popovic is a four-year varsity player who earned split time the past two years.
“He was named captain during the offseason and has done an excellent job helping prepare the team for the upcoming season,” Huff said. “He is one of the best goalies in the section and will be a huge part of our success.”
Lippoth is also a captain.
The goal is always the same: to make sectionals and go on a run.
“Every year is different, but the standard at Yorktown never changes,” Huff said. “I’m excited to see what this group can do this season.”
Yorktown opens its season against visiting Mahopac at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
“They have an excellent squad, and it will be a great early-season test,” Huff said.
Huff said it will be crucial, especially this season, for his players to understand the team’s strategy, approach, and expectations.
“We will need to be detail-oriented, organized, fit, and determined if we’re going to have a successful season,” Huff said.
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