TJ boys eyeing section crown

By JOSE NEGRON

jnegron@yourmvi.com

Doc Kulish isn’t one to make guarantees or bold predictions heading into a new season. 

But for the veteran head coach and the Thomas Jefferson boys soccer team, this year is different. 

“We fully expect to try to win section,” said Kulish, who has coached the Jaguars for nearly three decades. “With the combination of players we have this year, we should be able to win it. We just have to play together as a team rather than individuals. If these boys can do that, we should be strong.”

A year after going 11-5-1 overall and 9-3 in its first season in Section 3-3A, Thomas Jefferson enters the new campaign with an experienced group. 

The Jaguars will be led by their six captains: Seniors Luke Giger, AJ Getsy, Michael Ngugi, Jordan Chiprich and Marshall Richter, and junior Robert Shoemaker. 

“They’re real leaders,” Kulish said. “They take charge and really take responsibility on and off the field. They know what they want to do; they want to win the section and go as far beyond that as they can.” 

Among the Jaguars’ captains, Giger, Ngugi, Chiprich and Richter will be counted upon to help put the ball in the back of the net. 

Kulish said he expects his group to, at a minimum, score 100 goals this season. 

“We have five up front that can score at any time,” Kulish said. “I expect Giger, Ngugi, Chiprich and Richter to be our leading scorers, but then once you get into the playoffs, you never know because it’s always the players you don’t expect scoring the goals. Hopefully these guys do really well.” 

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