Mae Lesser scored two goals and Kiran Goswami added another as the Cougar Soccer U10 Premier Girls won their first game of the season – 3-1 – against the Maroons on September 16 at Borden Park. After dropping a close 2-1 game on the road in the first week, the Premier team showed plenty of grit and determination to hold off the Maroons in another tight game. The U10 Premier team (1-3) dropped a tight 3-1 game to West Essex at Borden Park on October 1.
Poppy O’Brien chases down a Maroons player during the Girls U10 Premier’s 3-1 win at Borden Park on September 17.
Girls U10 Elite 4, Union City 3
Emma Clammer kicked in the game-winner with less than a minute to go as the Girls U10 Elite team extended its unbeaten streak to 11 with a road win over Union City on September 17. The defending flight champions struck first but Union City battled back to force a 2-2 tie heading into halftime. Cougar SC and Union City traded second-half goals and it looked like the game was headed for a draw before the Cougar pressure finally broke the Union defense and Clammer scored the game winner. Simi Bachhawat scored her first two goals of the season and Lydia Colby also had a goal.
The U10 Elite Girls (3-0) made it a dozen in a row without a loss on October 1 as they defeated Tenafl, 3-2, at Floods Hill.
The Girls U10 Elite team celebrates its 2-0 start on the road on September 17.
Boys U10 Premier 7, New Milford 0
Emersen 2, Boys U10 Premier 1
Fritz Schumann led the Boys U10 Premier team to an opening victory with a shutout half in goal followed by two second-half goals in a 7-0 win against New Milford on September 16 at DeHart Park. The team next traveled to Emersen for its first road game. For the second game in a row, the Cougar defense was stout, led by Oliver Harris, but Cougar SC lost a close game, 2-1, on September 17. Boys U10 Premier improved to 2-1 with a 4-3 road victory over Fair Lawn on September 30. It defense will face a tough test in its next game when it hosts River Dell – which averages nearly 6 goals a game – at home on October 14.
Aviators 4, Boys U10 Elite 2
The Boys U10 Elite team dropped its first game of the season, 4-1, to the Aviators on September 16 on the road. Thomas Quinn gave Cougar SC an early 1-0 lead but the Aviators kept up the pressure and built a 4-1 lead. Cougar SC never gave up and Avery Taylor added a late goal, his first goal as a travel soccer player. The Boys U10 Elite next hosts Montclair on October 14 at Borden Park.
Boys U11 Pro 9, RiverDell 2
The Boys U11 Pro team had to wait an extra week to play its opener and used that extra week to finely tune its scoring machine. Cougar SC exploded for 9 goals in a 9-2 road victory over River Dell on September 16. Seven different players scored at least one goal in the win. Boys U11 Pro lost its first game of the season, 5-0, to Vikings on September 30. Boys U11 Pro (1-1) next hosts West Orange at DeHart Park on October 14.
Cougars United 4, Boys U11 Premier 2
The Boys U11 Premier team lost a tight game at home to Cougars United, 4-2, on September 16 at DeHart. It next faces North Arlington on the road on October 7.
Trainer Eric Tapia reviews strategy with the Boys U11 Elite team before its season opening shutout victory against Clarkstown.
Boys U11 Elite 3, Clarkstown 0
Boys U11 Elite 5, Hoboken 2
Boys U11 Elite 5, Fair Lawn 2
Boys U11 Elite 3, Americans 0
Boys U11 Elite 1, Union City 0
The Boys U11 Elite team jumped out to a strong start with five-straight wins to start the season and take over sole position of first place in the second-highest flight in the Northern County Soccer Association Conference. The season-opening 3-0 win over second-place Clarkstown was especially impressive. Its 5-2 win over Fair Lawn in rainy conditions featured help from two U10 players, Adam Saeed and Max Kolodiy. Kolodiy scored one of the five goals.
In a pair of victories over the weekend, Jackson Schwartz posted two straight clean sheets in goal. It was his third shutout of the season. In a dramatic 1-0 win over Union City on October 1, Max Youngren knocked in a perfect corner kick from Aiden Imranyi for the winning goal in the closing minutes.
Cougar SC next competes in the Mount Olive Halloween Tournament on October 14 at Turkey Brook Park.
Girls U11 Elite 5, Lyndhurst 0
Arsenal 4, Girls U11 Elite 2
The Girls U11 Elite opened its season with a dominant, shut-out performance on the road, beating Lyndhurst, 5-0, on September 17. Marryn Rando led the backline in shutting down Lyndhurst’s offense while also adding a goal. Jane Kessler led the team with two goals. Cougar SC lost its first game of the season, 4-2, on the road at Arsenal on October 1. The Girls U11 Elite (1-1) will next play in the Columbus Day Cup on October 7 and 8.
Belleville 6, Boys U12 Elite 1
Montclair 7, Boys U12 Elite 2
Mason Kobrin scored the only goal for Boys U12 Elite as it fell 6-1 on the road to Belleville. Cougar SC fell to Montcliar, 7-2, on October 1. Boys U11 Elite (1-2) returns to action October 14 at DeHart Park against Saddle Brook.
Boys U2 Premier 3, Belleville 1
The Boys U12 Premier completed an undefeated weekend for Cougars Soccer Club as it picked up a season-opening victory over Belleville, 3-1, on September 23. Gianluca Ravano scored the opening goal for Cougar SC while Elliot Peterson led the defense. With the remnants of a tropical storm wiping out most of the games, Boys U12 Premier was one of four Cougar SC teams to play and win in the cold rain. It will host Tenafly in its home opener on September 30.
Hoboken 4, Girls U12 Elite 1
New Milford 1, Girls U12 Elite 0
The Girls U12 Elite team kept up constant pressure but could only break through for one goal in a 4-1 loss to Hoboken on Sunday. Amelia Connolly stole a pass, was fouled from behind and still managed to blast home a goal for Cougar SC. Lila Ackerson, Rayah Ryan and Isabelle Youngren all had strong games in their Cougar SC debuts.
New Milford scored a late penalty kick to defeat Girls U12 Elite (0-2) in a tough road loss. Cougar SC rallied quickly after the late goal pushed for an equalizing goal. Youngren found Connolly breaking through for an equalizing goal but Connolly was whistled for offsides, negating the chance. Other than the penalty kick, Cougar SC’s defense stifled New Milford. Eleanor Winkfield, Pacey Lorre and Alexia Gonzalez played strong in the back while goalkeepers Beatrix Marotta and Lena Squilla stopped anything that slipped through.
The Girls U12 Elite (0-2) next plays in the Columbus Cup on October 7 and 8.
Boys U13 Elite 6, HotSpur 1
Boys U13 Elite 4, South Shore 2
The Boys U13 Elite team stayed undefeated with a cold, rainy victory over South Shore on Saturday on the turf field at Orange Park. Cougar SC (2-0) next hosts River Dell on October 14.
Spartan 6, Boys U15 Elite 1
Glen Ridge 4, Boys U15 Elite 0
Isaac Lesser scored the only goal as the Boys U15 Elite fell on the road to Spartan Soccer Club. Cougar SC (1-2) hosts Ridgefield at DeHart on October 21.
Aviators 3, Girls U15 Elite 0
Cougar SC (0-3) dropped a road game to the Aviators. They return to action at home on October 15 against Fair Lawn.
Girls U9 Elite 5, Clarkstown 4
Glenrock 9, Girls U9 Elite 3
Girls U9 Elite took a long, early roadtrip across the border to Clarkstown, NY and got five goals from five different players for a dramatic 5-4 first victory of the season on October 1. Girls U9 Elite (1-2) will next play in the Columbs Cup on October 7 and 8.
Boys U9 Elite 4, Union City 1
Boys U9 Elite 7, West Orange 7
Boys U9 Elite 4, Paramus 0
The Boys U19 Elite (3-0-1) stayed unbeaten on the season with two wins and a tie. In the tie with West Orange, Cougar SC jumped out to an early lead but couldn’t hold off the comeback in the mud. They bounced back with a shutout victory against previously unbeaten Paramus. The defense has led the way for the first place team – they lead their division with the lowest goals-against average – 2.25 goals per game allowed.
Verona A 8, Boys U8 Elite 1
Boys U8 Elite 7, Verona B 4
The U8 Boys Elite team split a pair of games against two teams from Verona – falling 8-1 on September 16 before rallying in the cold for a 7-4 win on September 23.
