Barrack Hebrew girls’ soccer completes memorable season with Tri-County title

Bryn Mawr – With Monday’s game nearing completion and the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy girls soccer team closing in on the Tri-County title holding a 4-1 lead, the sky turned ominous with a big rain cloud lingering.

 

Then as the final whistle sounded and the Cougars bench emptying on the field to celebrate the 2017 title they had just won over visiting Perkiomen School, the skies began to lighten as the celebration began.

 

With players celebrating with classmates, parents, coaches and fellow teammates, the feeling that first-year coach Keith Bradburd stated quickly set in.

 

“I told them that winning a league title is something you will remember the rest of your life,” said Bradburd, the former Athletic Director and girls soccer coach at Friends’ Central.

 

“It’s amazing,” said freshman forward Izzy Jacobson, who scored the first three goals in Monday’s Tri-County League championship match. “I have been waiting two years for this since we won when I was in 7th grade.”

 

Senior co-captain Talia Koltun Fromm added, “This is the best feeling. From the time I started in 7th grade until serving as a captain this year has been so fulfilling. It feels incredible to help lead this team and I hope our younger players can share this feeling when they become seniors.”

 

While offensive outbursts have been a pattern this season (outscoring opponents 75-14), a key for offensive success has been the tradition from a defensive stop leading to an offensive attack.

 

Leading Barrack’s offense this season has been senior Talia Koltun Fromm,

freshmen Izzy Jacobson and Lexi Schacter, 8th graders Jessie Singer and Dayna Fegler and sophomore Mia Erlbaum.

 

“Defense is the most important part of the game,” said sophomore keeper Sophia Shapiro, who registered six saves in the championship game. “Without a good defense even the best goalies can’t stop everything. Our defense stops most offensive attacks but what gets through falls on my shoulders.”

 

Spurring the defense which leads to transition offense has been senior co-captain Ilana Kuba, 8th grader Dayna Felger, sophomore Mia Erlbaum, freshmen Tamar Azulay andLane Barsh and multi dimensional Lexie Schacter.

 

Another important factor for the success of the Barrack (13-1-1) Cougars has been senior leadership. With only seven seniors on the 27 person roster, Bradburd stressed the importance of his seniors.

 

All the seniors, particularly the tri-captains, Julia (Holtz), Illana (Kuba) and Talia (Koltun Fromm) have made the coaching transition very easy,” said Bradburd, who previously coached Friends’ Central girls soccer to five Friend’s Schools League championships. “They made it a point to have the team do things  the right way, they have lead by example in respecting their teammates, their opponents the officials and, as importantly in respecting the game

“Our seniors have been really important in our success,” said Jacobson. “We look up to the older players who keep us moving forward. To see what they have accomplished its an inspiration.”

 

Shapiro added, “They are real important. They set the tone. For example, you will see Talia Colton Fromm attack on offense but then race back to help on defense.”