This past Saturday, the Hopkins men’s soccer team triumphed early on against visiting opponent Muhlenberg College at Homewood Stadium. The 2-0 victory was particularly special, as the Jays honored the American Cancer Society in their annual Pink Game, playing specifically for the “Making Strides Campaign.”
The Blue Jays saw tremendous performances from a variety of players this weekend. Most notably, senior goalie Bryan See posted his 12th career shutout, and juniors Jonah Muniz, Drew Collins and Eric Herbert all exerted tremendous offense pressure with multiple shots on goal. But with both Hopkins points coming from one individual, it’s no question that the Hopkins victory can be highly credited to this week’s Athlete of the Week, senior midfielder and forwawrd Samy Ramadane.
After being named Second Team All-Centennial Conference last season, Ramadane certainly had much to prove donning the Hopkins uniform during his last season. But the pressure, evidently, has served Ramadane well; The senior standout is one who consistently performs, garnering game-winning goals and assists throughout the season. A statistical leader for the Blue Jays, Ramadane is currently ranked third in the Centennial Conference with seven goals and 17 points total.
The News-Letter, however, is not the only one who has noticed Ramadane’s spectacular performance. Following his multi-goal game, Ramadane was named the Centennial Conference Men’s Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Remarkably, this is the second time Ramadane has claimed the title this season and the fifth time in his career.
Fortunately, Ramadane was sat down with The News-Letter to reflect on this Centennial Conference honor as well as comment on the team’s future going into the postseason.
The News-Letter: Given that it was the annual Pink Game, honoring the American Cancer Society, how important was it to the team to win against Muhlenberg?
SR: Wearing the pink shirts on Saturday meant more to us than changing our kit. It was a moment of recognition for the millions of people who have struggled with breast cancer. The whole team was humbled and grateful to have been able to contribute to the cause in some manner, whether through the money we raised or the support that an affected spectator might have felt in the wake of our recognition. It also served as an extra motivating factor for us, so we were pumped to get the win.
N-L: Talk us through your two goals. How did it feel to score the only two goals of the game?
SR: The first goal came from a throw-in near the corner flag. My teammate, Jonah Muniz, threw me the ball, and I returned it to his foot before making an overlapping run around him. Jonah drew the defender out and played me the ball into an open space from which I could shoot.
The second goal started with a counter attack from our end. One of our midfielders, Drew Collins, collected the ball from a set piece at the top of our defensive box and carried it all the way up the field. Knowing Drew’s quality, I made a supporting run down the wing. He played me a great ball to my right foot at the top of the box which I shot to the far post.
It was a great feeling to have finished two opportunities for the team, and I hope we can continue some of the momentum of our attacking prowess into the postseason.
N-L: Having played on the road for the past few weeks, this past Saturday was the team’s first home game in 21 days. Would you say there is a difference at all in team mentality and energy during a home game?
SR: We cherish the opportunity to represent our school whenever we step onto any field, but there’s an added sense of pride when we do it on Homewood Field. In terms of tactics and techniques, we always try to bring our personality to the game regardless of the turf we play on.
N-L: How does it feel to be named Centennial Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season?
SR: It is undoubtedly an honor, and receiving it during my senior season makes it all the more sweet. Even more importantly, I think it’s a testament to how successful our team has become at creating dangerous opportunities in the attack, and I’ve been lucky to get on the end of a couple of those chances.
N-L: Currently ranked fourth in the Centennial Conference, how does the team need to perform in the next two games to keep post-season dreams alive?
SR: If we win out the next two games, we will be in third place heading into the Conference playoffs. It’s a very achievable goal and we are taking one game at a time. Our mentality going into the last two matches is to use each as an opportunity for growth.
N-L: As a senior entering the final stretch of your last season, what will you miss most about the team?
SR: Hopefully the season is far from over, but when it’s time to say goodbye, I’m going to miss all the guys the most. For the past three and a half years, the team has been my family both on and off the field.
Some of the fondest memories I have are when we celebrate in the locker room after a win. Although it will be bittersweet, the brotherhood will last a lifetime.
