Boys Soccer: Glenn 2011 Preview

Lou Hanner is starting the 2011 soccer season from scratch.

After graduating 17 seniors-–and doing so in the face of a grueling early-season stretch of eight games in 17 days from Sept. 12-28-–the coach of the Glenn boys team is “totally revamping” the program.

Not that cleaning house is such a bad thing. Hanner and Assistant Coach Chris Reilly, suddenly “doing a lot more coaching” after guiding what was effectively the same team over the past three years, are finding the new challenge exciting.

They ought to: the Knights have done their fair share of coming back from the brink over Hanner’s 16 years in charge.

They won the league in 2007, when the departed crew members were merely freshmen, and again in 2009, using a roster of mostly juniors. The team has qualified for the county playoffs 11 of the last 13 years.

Last Season: The Knights were defeated in the Suffolk Class 'A' Boys' Soccer Championship, thanks to an overtime goal by Sayville's Travis
Redding. Glenn finished the season 17-2.

Coach: Lou Hanner (17th season)

Key Players: The newcomers have the benefit of learning from
a returning star on every line:

• Adan Cruz-Velasquez, junior, defender
• Greg Orkiszewski (who has already distinguished himself as a
  kicker for the school’s football team), senior, midfielder
• Dela Agbotse, senior, forward

Position Breakdown: It was with an optimistic spirit that this sophomore–centric team began playing together back in June.

Hanner and Reilly, himself a 15-year veteran at the Knights’ helm, are devoted caretakers. They are keepers of the program’s illustrious history, and they value discipline in their players. Their management of a new and inexperienced squad-–for the first time in three years-–will make for an experiment worth watching.

Expectations: Hanner, for his part, is trying not to overstate expectations. “We're the kind of team, honestly, where we could challenge to win the league title, or not make the playoffs, based on
how things fall into place and how these guys develop,” he said.

Key Games:

• Sept. 19 – Shoreham @ Glenn, 4:30 p.m.
• Sept. 28 – Kings Park @ Glenn, 3:30 p.m.
• Oct. 5 – East Hampton @ Glenn, 4:30 p.m.
• Oct. 24 – Glenn @ East Hampton, 3:30 p.m.
• Oct. 26 – Bayport-Blue Point @ Glenn, 4 p.m.