Sports roundup: Rangers open season Thursday against Newton

The Wallkill Valley Regional High School boys soccer team will return its top two scorers from last season - Kooper Nicolai and Ivan Reyes - as the Rangers prepare to open their 2025 campaign.

Last fall, Nicolai (14 goals, seven assists) and Reyes (15 goals, four assists), both seniors, helped lead Wallkill Valley to a 14-4-1 mark, which included an 8-1-1 log in winning the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Colonial Division title.

Other playmakers back this fall for head coach Sean Neal include seniors Gavin Walker (five goals, two assists) and Dennis Aungst (10 assists) and junior Cayden Collins (11 shutouts).

The Rangers are slated to open their season at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4 at home against Newton before playing host to Dover at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.

Here’s a look at the opening week schedules for other Wallkill Valley teams:

Field hockey

The first victory of the 2025 season will be the 450th in the illustrious career of head coach Irene Chernati, who took a record of 449-283-31 into this season, her 30th at the helm.

The Rangers, 3-16 last fall, return seniors Lexi Cammarata (10 goals, two assists), Jenna Cammarata (one goal, six assists), Alexxa Schlereth (one goal, four assists) and Olivia Fisher (two goals, one assist) for this season, set to begin Wednesday, Sept. 3 at home against Lenape Valley.

Wallkill Valley will play host to Pope John at 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 before playing at North Warren at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11.

Girls soccer

The Rangers are looking to improve on last year’s 4-13 finish and welcome back juniors Adrianna Romeo (12 goals, nine assists), Jules Capriglione (four goals, five assists) and Chloe Geuther (five goals, three assists) and sophomore Isabella Velasco (three goals, one assist).

Sophomore goalie Harley Ojeda is coming off an impressive freshman campaign, in which she made more than 210 saves and posted two shutouts.

Wallkill Valley was slated to begin its season Sept. 3 at North Warren before traveling to Lenape Valley at 4 p.m. Sept. 8 and playing its home-opener at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 against Hopatcong.

Girls tennis

Seniors Fiona Gordon, Audrey Newsome and Keylee Ramirez and sophomores Grace Carr and Zoey Vanderbeck are back from last year’s squad.

The Rangers are slated to play host to Lenape Valley at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 before playing at Pompton Lakes at 4 p.m. Sept. 8.

Cross country

The Wallkill Valley boys and girls will get their seasons under way at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 against Hackettstown, High Point, Jefferson and Newton at Hackettstown.