Boys' soccer takes second in 4A West

The Blair boys' varsity soccer team had another successful season, finishing second in their division behind Sherwood with a 10-6 record. The season ended with a heartbreaking loss to Whitman in the second round of the playoffs.

Seniors Will Whitney and Dennis Salgado and junior Papes Ndiaya stepped up this year, shining as the team's stars.

Co-captain Whitney was a monster in the backfield, playing sweeper for much of the season. His superb play helped stop many goals and kept the opposition's scoring to a minimum. Seniors Andrew Pomeroy and Jacob Shrybman helped in the backfield as well, creating a defensive shield that was difficult to penetrate.

Salgado led the team in scoring this year with 11 goals. His goal against Whitman in the playoffs from outside the 18-yard box was a reminder of Salgado's ability to score in clutch situations. He also scored the game-tying goal on Oct 25 that forced the first-round playoff game against Watkins Mill into overtime.
Ndiaya, who placed on the all-county team, played well, especially at the beginning of the season. With eight goals in the first seven games, Ndiaya was a potent offensive weapon for the Blazers.

The one missing ingredient that prevented this year's squad from having an excellent season was finishing. All fall, Blair strikers had opportunities to put games away but were unable to convert. Several times, the Blazers let the ball bounce around in the six-yard box in pinball-like fashion without scoring.

One of the strongest positions on the 2003 varsity team was goalkeeper. All three goalies started at least two games and showed skills that pushed the team to the next level. Senior Lino Martinez finished the season without allowing one goal.

The team's younger stars leave much optimism about the near future of Blair soccer. Excellent play from juniors Jack Eisen-Markowitz, Yenikah Fon, Greg Breads and Ndiaya added to the success of this season, and freshman Josh Zipin displayed skills that coaches usually only dream of for such a young player. In addition, an undefeated junior varsity team will hopefully give Coach Adrian Baez the perfect recipe for success in Blair's upcoming seasons.