On Thursday, October 2, the John P. Stevens varsity soccer team played against the Union Catholic High School varsity soccer team for their senior night game. The game was not only a victory for the Hawks, but also an amazing event where families, friends, and teammates bonded with each other.
Senior night started around 4:45pm, when the varsity team started to warm up. It was really easy to tell who the Hawks were; their neon-yellow warmup jerseys stuck out from the opposing team’s plain white jerseys. The boys jogged and stretched, did a crossing drill, played possession, and ended with some shots. Around the same time, one could see dozens of people walking into the bleachers, and there was no doubt these were the friends and families of the players. Families dressed elegantly with neat suits and dresses, and held bouquets for their respective players. Eleven posters were hung on the fence near the bleachers, each for a senior, with pictures and fun facts about them.
At 6 p.m., all 11 seniors were recognized. The commentator spoke about each senior from his booth, describing the senior and his family, while also sharing his favorite memories from the program and future college destinations. Seniors and their families walked through a hall created by the juniors and sophomores of the team, being congratulated by a wide array of spectators. The 11 seniors who were recognized were Ritam Chaudari , Jash Shah, Nathan Sekar, Aidan Yam, Mihran Laskar, Eshaan Basavaraj, Siddhant Barui, Shoubit Mondi, Reyhurn Gandhi, Rishith Koduri, and Samip Majumder.
After the rosters of both J.P. Stevens and Union Catholic were called up, the match officially began. It was an extremely tense first half, with the only goal coming from Nathan Sekar on the Hawks’ side. He scored at 35:20 with a header off a free kick by Ritam Chaudari. After a motivating halftime speech by Coach McMullen and the captains, the boys went in with an altered lineup and mindset, yearning for victory. This was done when sophomore Keony Hanao scored his first goal of the season with the varsity team at 53:00, with an assist by Mihran Laskar. The seniors and juniors surrounded him with glee, and the crowd was ecstatic at the 2-0 lead.
The Hawks got their third goal at 61:01 with a penalty that co-captain Ritam Chaudari took. It secured their lead, and as the referee blew his whistle at eighty minutes, everybody celebrated. After the two teams exchanged handshakes, friends and families rushed onto the field and congratulated all the players. Sophomore Shrest Kummaraparugu remarked, “This was probably the best senior night in the past few years,” mostly because of the huge triumph. At last, around 8:15 p.m., the players got together at the Snack Shack to all grab a slice of pizza and some refreshing Gatorade.
When asked to reflect on the night, varsity Coach McMullen said, “The boys had a very successful senior night. We honored 11 deserved seniors at our match against Union Catholic. They all rose to the occasion and came away with a 3-0 shutout victory. Thank you to the boys for their exceptional work ethic over the last four years. Hawks fly high!” His words truly captivated the seniors’ achievements.
Ultimately, the J.P. Stevens varsity soccer senior night was a successful and thrilling event where the Hawks defeated Union Catholic High School 3-0. The event recognized the eleven seniors on the varsity soccer team while also being a great game to watch under the stadium lights. As always, soccer managed to bring friends and families together for an unforgettable night of saves, goals, and good times.
