As the fall sports season comes to a close, the efforts and accomplishments of our Lenape athletes must be recognized and praised.
Football
The Lenape Football Team lost a large number of incredibly talented seniors this past year. But, despite this, the Indians still made strong showings against many tough opponents, such as No. 16 St. Augustine, No. 10 Millville, and No. 7 Passaic Tech.
They ended with a record of 3-7 and were seeded sixth in the Central Jersey Group 5 bracket. They faced off against Rancocas Valley in the first round and fell 13-3 to the Red Devils.
Hopefully, Lenape can make improvements for next season and come back even stronger despite losing a handful of impactful seniors.
Boy’s Soccer
The Lenape Boys Soccer Team had a significant improvement in their season compared to last year. Going from a record of 3-11-1 to a record of 11-7-4, they were able to defeat some of New Jersey’s best teams.
Their first challenge arose at the South Jersey Coaches Cup, an in-season tournament in which the Indians were pitted against No. 15 St. Augustine in the first round. In an exciting and shocking turn of events, Lenape was able to seize the 1-0 victory and continue onwards, eventually falling to No. 19 Clearview in the semifinal round.
Going into the playoffs, the Indians were seeded second in the South Jersey Group 4 bracket and defeated Millville in the first round. They clinched a close win against Cherokee but ended their season in the semifinal round with a 2-1 loss to Toms River North.
All in all, the Indians had a fantastic season, and with only a few key seniors leaving next year, we expect great things from the underclassmen next fall.
Girl’s Soccer
The Lenape Girls Soccer Team didn’t have the greatest season, but still made a good showing all throughout the fall. With a record of 4-12-3, the Indians took on many challenges, and while they did not come out on top, they still showed that they are a force to be reckoned with.
In the regular season, they took on No. 6 Shawnee, only falling 4-0 to the Renegades, and held every team they played to at most 4 goals. The Indians were seeded 15th in the South Jersey Group 4 playoff bracket and were matched up against No. 18 Central Regional in the second seed. Despite their best efforts, Lenape lost 1-0 in OT in the first round, stopping their season short.
Overall, the girls played great games against tough teams. The Indians will lose some incredible seniors to graduation, but we look forward to seeing the underclassmen step up and make improvements next season.
Field Hockey
Our Lenape Field Hockey Team improved dramatically from last season, sporting a record of 10-7 compared to last year’s 5-13. This year they faced off against six teams from the Top 20 in NJ, including No. 10 Shawnee, No. 8 Seneca, and No. 3 Camden Catholic. With the defeat of in-conference teams Eastern, Cherokee, and Cherry Hill East, the Indians were able to take home a conference title for the season.
Ultimately, they were seeded 9th in the South Jersey Group 4 playoff bracket and outplayed Williamstown 2-1 to advance to the second round. Unfortunately, the Indians faced a 6-1 loss to No. 1 Kingsway, who won the entire Group 4 championship.
All in all, our field hockey team had a fantastic season, ending as No. 22 in the state. And, with 15 seniors leaving the program, they will now turn towards their underclassmen to bring the team to victory next season.
Girl’s Tennis
Like last year, the Lenape Girls Tennis Team had a strong showing throughout their season. Producing a record of 13-5, not dissimilar to last year’s record of 12-4, the Indians showed their continued excellence in the sport.
In the playoffs, they plowed through Southern and Kingsway before earning two close 3-2 victories against Vineland and Cherry Hill East, securing their sectional title for the second year in a row.
However, their season came to a halt with a tragic loss against No. 4 Ridge in the statewide tournament. Despite the ending, the Indians had an amazing season, and we’re all looking forward to what these ladies will do next season after losing five varsity seniors.
Girl’s Volleyball
The Lenape Girls Volleyball Team has been putting out consistently fantastic seasons these past few years, and their 2023-24 season was no exception. They ended with a strong record of 20-7 and made it farther than last year in their playoff bracket.
The Indians played a few teams ranked in the Top 20 in New Jersey, including No. 7 Paul VI and No. 3 Princeton. In their playoff bracket, they crushed both West Windsor-Plainsboro South and Cherry Hill East before getting stopped short with a 2-0 loss against No. 1 Southern in the semifinal round.
All in all, the Lenape Girls Volleyball team had a strong showing all throughout their season, and their underclassmen will have to step up for the next season as they have seven outgoing varsity seniors.