They lost during the first round in 2008 and then made it to the Section 9, Class AA semis in 2009, only to lose to NFA, the eventual state champs.

Now Joe Carillo, Pine Bush’s boys’ soccer coach, hopes to achieve at least what his teams did in 2003 and 2006 when they won the sectional title.

“We want to get back to that or win it this year,” he said.

And Carillo believes he has the team to do it.

Seniors Ryan Coleman and Patrick Douglas will play up front as strikers for the team.

Mike Thomas, senior, and Alex Van Pelt, a junior, will play midfield and John Burrough, a senior, will play defender.

Kyle Hunt, a junior, and Kyle Higgins, Dan O’Donavan and Jake Shof, will all play defender.

Chris Giraudin, a senior, Alex Vesely, a junior,  and Gianni Carillo, a freshman, will play goalie. Carillo could spend some time playing midfielder.

Pine Bush’s key losses from a year ago are Cameron Engels, Kevin Holt and Brendan Higgins.

The team lost little from last year and with nine seniors and nine juniors coming back, Carillo is hopeful the Bushmen will again come back as a Section 9, Class AA power.

“This is the year I’ve been waiting for,” he said.

By Bond Brungard
sports@tcnewspapers.com