After one of the best soccer seasons in school history last year, hopes are high for 2025 at Lancaster Country Day School, assistant coach Greg Henkel says.
“We have a good, strong nucleus coming back” after losing a few players to graduation, “but if we solidify the few positions that we lost, I think we can make a good run,” he says.
“And I’m sure these guys are going to be a big part of it,” he says, pointing to two of his team’s top players.
By “these guys,” he means high-scoring midfielder Julian Colino and center-back Matteo Manfrin, two players Henkel and his head coach, Chris Wilson, are counting on.
Both are now seniors, and Manfrin says he and the other team veterans welcome the challenge of being leaders for younger guys.
Country Day had three wins in Manfrin’s sophomore year, he says, but then skyrocketed to an 11-5-1 season last year before falling short in the playoffs.
“And it was with the same exact roster,” Manfrin notes. The growth was due to “team chemistry and a season of building – it was us building together so we were able to have a really good season last year.”
Colino definitely wants to “put the ball in the net,” he says with a smile, while also helping to lead the less-experienced players.
Country Day finished 7-2-1 in Section 4 last year.
Winning the section and making it to states would be a great achievement, Colino and Manfrin say, just because no soccer team at the school has ever done it before.
LNP | LancasterOnline hosted Media Day at its downtown Lancaster office to connect local media with Lancaster-Lebanon League players and coaches.
