It has been 518 long days since the Roadrunner's Men's Soccer team has played a regular season or playoff game. Veteran Coach George Hobbins will never forget the date -- October 30, 2019.
On that afternoon, the visiting Roadrunners roared back -- but fell just shy -- in their attempt to advance to the Region XIX North Atlantic B championship game as they lost to Sussex County Community College on penalty kicks following a 2-2 tie. The Runners had beaten Sussex during the regular season, and that stinging loss hurt even more over the past 1 1/2 years as the pandemic gripped the region and the nation.
Today, all that changes when the Roadrunners take the field once again, hosting Salem Community College in a 12 noon start. The game has been moved to an artificial turf field at Total Turf Experience on Lambs Road in Pitman.
"That Sussex loss was our last memory of a real soccer match -- and it happened more than 500 days ago," Hobbins recalled. "It's been a long haul and a real struggle to get back to this day -- and we are so grateful to be taking the field again. We have been ready to go for quite some time."
Starting with the Salem match, the Runners will engage in a 12-game season this spring. These games are very meaningful, said Hobbins, as the program prepares for next Fall's regular season.
"The Fall is our normal regular season, so it will be important for us to play well and win games this spring," said Hobbins. "We want to continue to attract the best players."
The Runners will count on several veterans to lead those efforts in sophomores Jake Fazi, Brandon Daisey, Andrew Seary, Michael Rizzo, and Sean Tyler along with sophomore transfer Sinan Tuzcu.
"We have a roster of 20 players, and we're confident they will do well," said Coach Hobbins. "We have a lot of talent and they guys have worked hard -- and they will continue to do so. They are a coachable group."
Click here to view the Men's Soccer Spring 2021 Schedule
See the Roadrunner Spring 2021 Season Preview below.
Roadrunner Men's Soccer Season Preview
Coach: George Hobbins (7th season); NJCAA career record 122-77-9, including 55-41-10 in six seasons at RCGC.
Assistant Coaches: Stephen Hart (4th season); Andrew McNellis (2nd season); Jason Norris (1st season).
Last Season: 12-6-2 overall; lost to Sussex CCC in Fall 2019 Region XIX North Atlantic B championship game on penalty kicks.
Season Opener: Friday, April 2, 2021 vs. Salem Community College, 12 Noon at Total Turf Experience, Pitman, NJ.
Key Returnees/Sophomores: Brandon Daisey (Triton), midfielder; Jake Fazi (Triton), back; Michael Rizzo (Clearview), back; Andrew Seary (Pilgrim Academy), forward; Sinan Tuzcu (Glassboro), forward; Sean Tyler (Cherry Hill West), back.
Newcomers: Sodiq Adegoke (Kingsville), forward; Sulaiman Adegoke (Kingsville), back; James Buchanan (Williamstown), back; Connor Buechele (Paul VI), back; Giancarlo Cammarata (Gloucester Catholic), midfielder; Steven Campos (Glassboro), midfielder; Sebastian Georges (Paul VI). midfielder; Hugo Hernandez (Vineland), midfielder; Gunner Hoffman (Williamstown), goalkeeper; Christian Lewis (Eastern), midfielder; Christos Malliaros (Cherry Hill West), midfielder; Griffen Martello (Cherry Hill West), back; Michael Sauers (Sterling), goalkeeper; Kysen West (Woodstown), midfielder.
