Hawks’ Effort Was at a High Level This Year

Effort counts when it comes to high school athletics, and in that regard, the effort put forth by the Cape May County Tech High School boys soccer program this fall was strong.
In victory or defeat, the Hawks took to the pitch with the determination to put forth a valiant performance.
“The best game we played all year was the first round (NJSIAA South Jersey Group I Sectional) playoff game,’’ said head coach Jon Harris. “We were the 15th seed, playing at the second seed’s home field. Typically, the 15th seed doesn’t have a chance, but for the first 25 minutes of the game, the score was 0-0.
“Haddon Township was the better team that day and came away with a 7-0 victory, but six goals came in the first half, and in eight minutes. The rest of the game was played soundly by our Tech boys, and if you take away those eight minutes, it was a 1-0 game.
“Mentally, we just lost control and dropped our heads during those eight minutes. At half time, we came out ready to play again, and it showed.’’
 Leadership was sound for the Hawks’ side this year.
 “Anthony Paluch wasn’t initially named a captain for the team, but he was always a leader,’’ Harris said. “For a senior, it can be devastating working for four years and not being recognized as a captain, but Anthony maintained his hard work and led the team in almost every game.
“Zach Kershaw had his ups and downs, but being a first-year captain, he took a lot of unfamiliar responsibility and never complained or backed down.
“Joel Sheptock and Jacob Perez, both juniors, began to take a leadership role through action rather than words. They both had a strong end to their seasons, and it will be interesting to see how they grow into next season.’’
Coach Harris considered those student-athletes to be among the players who showed steady improvements on the field this season.
 “Adam Dille and Nick Church first come to mind [as being most improved players on the roster],’’ Harris said. “Adam is a freshman this year, and although he had reservations in the beginning of the year, he grew to be a force on the field despite being one of the youngest and smallest.
“Nick, a junior, was a JV player last year and the start of the season, but midway through the season, he was promoted to varsity and by the end of the season, was part of the defensive rotation. I have high hopes for Nick, if he has a strong offseason.’’
The Hawks tallied six overall wins this fall.
“The younger guys worked really hard this season,’’ said Harris. “Some were able to make it onto the varsity field, and some are very close. As long as everyone works hard in the offseason and sticks to their training, our program is going to be one to watch in the upcoming years.’’