Rhinebeck boys soccer coach sees success ahead

Look forward to a flock of hungry Hawks this year.

Rhinebeck may not appear to be a soccer power, since 2009 was the last time the Hawks took a Section 9 championship. But consider the team’s enviable 12-5 record in 2010 and their appearance in the MHAL championship game last year.

That’s why varsity coach Justin Wiesenthal sees a promising future.

“We absolutely have what it takes to compete for a sectional title this year,” he told the Observer. According to Wiesenthal, the team may have established goals for the 2012 season, but claiming the championship after two years of great promise is “always on their mind.”

And offensively, the Rhinebeck Hawks look like they can swing it with anyone in 2012. They’ll be led by senior midfielder and four-year starter David Williams, junior midfielder and “on-field general” Nick Hoynes, and dangerous striker Seth McClenahan, who Wiesenthal said “grew as a threat in the league last year.”

Wiesenthal also isn’t worried about pulling together a team to compliment those sure-fire starters. “Our roster seems to have some depth this year,” he said. “While not mentioned, there are a handful of players who make a huge impact on our team’s successes.”

With the players, the winning history, and a coach who demands that “there is no individual player that is larger than their individual team or the program as a whole,” the Hawks only need the verve to capture the Section 9 championship.

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