The Hawthorne High School boys varsity soccer team won its first County game 5-4 on Saturday, October 5.

The team played a home game against Wayne Valley in the first round of the boys soccer Passaic County Tournament. The final score of the game was 5-4 according to the team’s head coach, James Clementi, a teacher at HHS. “The boys played great,” Clementi stated. “They are really developing a unique chemistry and it showed in this game. There are still some things we need to improve on going forward, but the boys are playing up to their potential.”

Clementi shared that he is most proud of the family bond the team has created, stating that “these boys stick together no matter the circumstances. Everyone is playing for one another right now.”

“As far as improvement is concerned,” Clementi explained, “we need to do a better job of defending set pieces, such as free kicks, corner kicks, and big throw-ins. Even though we won our county game, giving up four goals is still a concern.”

Clementi believes that the team, whose current record is 8-1, will continue to succeed in the rest of their season.

According to Clementi, the next county game for HHS will be away at DePaul. “They are the number one team in the tournament,” Clementi stated. “It will be a very difficult game for us, but I know the players aren’t going to back down from the challenge.”