Lexington squad still solid on pitch

A rebuilding year for the boys’ soccer team? Not quite.

Once again, the Minutemen (11-0-2 overall) sit atop the Middlesex League standings and are on track for their second straight title.

But the priority remains having a long run in the postseason.

“That’s the biggest thing, going deep in the tournament,’’ said senior Alex Lukez after Wednesday’s 1-1 tie against visiting Winchester. “Going undefeated and winning the Middlesex League is great, but if we don’t make it far in the playoffs, it doesn’t matter. That’s been our focus since day one: Get to the playoffs and stay there.’’

Off playing for college teams are former Middlesex League all-stars Diego Garcia, Max Swanson, Rami Sleiman, and Zack Abdu-Glass.

Garcia, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound All-American who led Lexington High to the first undefeated regular-season finish in the program’s history, now suits up for Boston University.

Swanson, a forward/midfielder, plays for Division 3 Wheaton; Sleiman is a midfielder at Trinity College, and Abdu-Glass is also in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, as a forward at Middlebury.

That quartet led Lexington to the North semis, where the Minutemen fell to eventual state runner-up Framingham, 3-2, in their second straight tournament loss to the Flyers.

“I’m lucky enough to look back and see the kind of players who played for me the last couple years, and see how successful they were and are now in college,’’ said Dan Rudolph, in his fifth season as Lexington’s head coach.

“But then I think about my guys right now and they deserve all the credit for what they’ve done so far. It’s just a testament to boys’ soccer in Lexington.’’

A trio of senior captains is leading the way this fall: Jordan Mizerak, a versatile weapon on both offense and defense; David Levins, who anchors the defense; and Kristian Driscoll, the team’s most durable player.

Lukez, a 5-foot-7, 150-pound center midfielder, paces the Minutemen in scoring (11 goals, six assists).

“I’ve always been a good passer and my best skill is distributing the ball,’’ said Lukez. “This year is the first time I’ve scored a lot like this. Last year, we had Diego, who could do it all. He didn’t need a lot of help, he was just so good. This year, I’ve got to give credit to my teammates because they’re the ones who find me at the right time.’’

A year-round soccer player, Lukez earned a starting spot last fall, but he suffered a broken wrist during a preseason scrimmage. Four days before the team’s final regular-season game, he collided with a defender and suffered a broken collarbone, ending his season.

Despite what he called “the worst injury I’ve ever had,’’ Lukez and his aggressive playing-style returned to the pitch last December for his indoor team.

Mizerak, a 5-10, 135-pound right wing, relies on speed to frustrate the opposition. An indoor and outdoor track and field athlete, Mizerak’s strength lies in his ability to take on a defender one-on-one, blow by him and find the net or an open teammate. After Wednesday’s 1-1 tie with Winchester, Mizerak was second on the team with 5 goals.

“I knew we’d be good because every year we’ve got the talent, but here we are looking at another league title,’’ said Rudolph. “We were in a similar place last year, then had one bad night. We underachieved in the tournament and these guys remember that, especially the seniors.’’

Sapna Pathak can be reached at sportsgalsp@gmail.com.