Jackson Monahan and Hunter Zytkowicz are trim defenders who race up the field and set up the offense.
Connor Maher and Frank Ford are tall, long center midfielders who dribble down the center and distribute to scorers on the outside.
Together, they form the spine of Allentown High School’s boys’ soccer team. And they are each other’s biggest fans. Just listen to them talk about each other.
Here’s Zytkowicz on Monahan, his defensive captain at center back: “Jackson can see the field really well. He knows his players, he’s really good technically and he can pass. He also defends well.”
Monahan has equally nice things to say about Zytkowicz, his left back: “He’s great to have back there because he’s so quick in transitioning. He’s always up on the attack supporting our forwards and center mids. But he’s always back there on defense, too.”
Maher and Ford are also fond of each other.
“It’s great to have him in the midfield because he distributes the ball well. He wins every single ball in the air,” said Ford about Maher. “He’s great with his feet and can pick off every single pass on the field. He even knows when to get back and defend.”
“He’s great. His balls are almost at feet every single time, or right on the dot to attackers with an overhead through ball,” said Maher about Ford. “He also makes runs in behind the attackers, where I can play him through, and that’s where he gets a lot of his goals.”
Allentown will open 2018 at Hopewell Valley Central High School on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. In 2017, the Redbirds finished 11-6 and reached the Mercer County Tournament semifinals. With such a strong lineup down the center of the pitch, they should be even better this year.
“Our expectation is to be better than 11-6. We have a really talented group,” said ninth-year Allentown coach Andrew Plunkett. “We’re always focused on the postseason. So, of course we want a successful regular season. But I’m looking to learn during the regular season and see what works.”
There are two main things that Plunkett is looking to learn in the regular season: who will prevent goals and who will score them.
Monahan’s and Zytkowicz’s defensive prowess will be compromised without a competent goalie. And Maher’s and Ford’s playmaking abilities will add up to little without finishers on the outside.
Plunkett is confident that he at least has the answer in goal. Junior Sam Parker would have started as a freshman and sophomore in most programs. He is that good.
“In terms of athleticism, he’s a kid you get maybe once in your career. He has speed, direction and the ability to jump. He’s just a really all-around solid keeper,” Plunkett said. “He’s also a shot stopper. He’s not going to get beat from distance and he can stop those close reaction shots.”
Parker stands 6-0, but Plunkett said the ideal keeper is 6-2 or taller. Parker makes up for those missing inches with his leaping ability.
“His size doesn’t matter,” Plunkett said. “He’s got the same type of presence in the box as someone who’s 6-7.”
So, Allentown should be strong in goal. But what about upfront? Monahan, Zytkowicz, Maher and Ford think they have an answer there, in junior forward Noah Mason.
As a sophomore, Mason started the season on junior varsity but was called up about halfway through the year. He ended up scoring eight goals in a short varsity stint. He could double that number in 2018, with a full season and a lineup of elite distributors.
“He did pretty well for us,” Monahan said.
“He’ll help us out a lot,” Maher added.
Mason, however, is not Allentown’s only option. The Redbirds have a lot of players capable of fitting Plunkett’s description of a finisher.
“They know the spaces where the ball might end up. They are good at drifting away from defenders and knowing the spaces where a ball might deflect to,” Plunkett said. “They are not worried about how clean the finish is. They’ll put a toe on it. They are just there, lurking. Our guys up top all have it. They just have to execute.”
Plunkett said the Redbirds have four or five players who could step up as goal scorers. His veteran foursome said the same thing.
“Really any of the players who I’m putting up top can do it,” Plunkett said.
It’s just a matter of them figuring out how to do it in a short regular season.
“You have two months to execute,” Plunkett said.
Allentown, as a team, has two months to figure it out around the veteran leaders.
