Lynch enjoying explosive senior season for ND boys soccer
October 18, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.
Will Lynch waited his turn. And watched and learned while he waited.
As a freshman, he saw Aiden Hoenisch, Danny Bensch and Kyle Allen combine for 62 goals and 47 assists for the boys’ soccer team of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville. Two seasons ago he played alongside James Ferraro, who collected 21 goals and 11 assists. Last year Ryan Watson led the Irish with 13 goals and Lynch was right behind with 12 goals and 12 assists.
“I’ve been practicing with the varsity since I was a freshman, so I got to see all those guys who are high-level players playing at good colleges,” Lynch said. “Just competing against them made me a better player.”
Notre Dame senior Will Lynch, left, runs the ball during a recent match. Carter Hillsdon photo His talents are being showcased this season. Now a senior, on a team with ample firepower, Lynch has become “The Man” with 22 goals and nine assists.
It has been a huge leap from a 9th-grade year in which he had just one assist.
“He’s having a great year, and we knew he would,” Irish coach Bryan Fisher said. “It’s amazing to watch him grow from that young kid who was getting knocked around as a freshman. He’s playing with determination and is trying to end his career on the highest note possible. He’s exploded this year.”
Entering the Oct. 17 regular-season finale against Ewing, Lynch led Mercer County in goals. He has accepted the mantle of being ND’s go-to player.
“I feel like it’s almost expected,” he said. “Every year Notre Dame has at least that one guy who’s scoring 20 goals. I felt like this year it had to be me. I’ve been working in the off-season. My coach has been pushing me, my team’s been pushing me.”
Lynch started his career defending as a right back for Philadelphia Union Academy in Pennsylvania. When he moved to FC Bucks, he was switched to an attacking position at center mid, where he still plays for the PDA Hibernians. Fisher has had him as a withdrawn forward for Notre Dame.
After a freshman year of learning how things work on varsity, Lynch showed his potential with 11 goals and eight assists the next season and has been dangerous ever since.
Like most great forwards, he has that hunger to score.
“He’s an incredibly hard worker and a relentless competitor,” Fisher said. “He’s got a lot of passion for the game and more importantly passion for his teammates.”
Lynch will not force the issue when it comes to scoring and will lay the ball off to teammate who’s in a better spot to score.
But when an opportunity to score arises, Will is willing.
Will Lynch proudly relishes a satisfying Notre Dame soccer game. Carter Hillsdon photo“He can get the ball over the top and beat people on breakaways,” Fisher said. “He can go one-v-one. A lot of times he’s smothered and he’s beating two or three guys. He’s great in the air, great on his feet; and inside the box he’s relentless.”
While some teams will man mark Lynch and shadow him all over the field, others will opt to prevent his teammates from feeding him the ball.
“I definitely feel like teams know what I’m trying to do,” Lynch said. “Some teams put two on me, some have players in my area to cut us off. I feel it depends on how we come out, how physical we are. If we’re challenging and we’re energetic, that’s really the main factor in games.”
And conditioning has been a main factor in Lynch’s constant improvement.
“He’s done a lot of work to be a really strong athlete,” Fisher said. “We brought him up as a freshman. He was just a young kid, a baby. Now he’s a man. It’s great to see.”
What Lynch and Fisher would really like to see is the Irish make a strong run in the upcoming Colonial Valley Conference and state tournaments.
“It’s really all our team wants,” Lynch said. “These [regular season] games are big, but what really matters are these games coming up. We’re gonna be hungry.”
Lynch’s appetite for soccer is never-ending and he hopes to play in college next year. He is undecided but has gained the interest of several schools. For now, he will keep making a positive impact on the Notre Dame community.
“Will is probably one of the kindest kids I know,” said ND English teacher Cindy Bannon, who has Lynch in class. “He is so passionate about soccer and most things. He never stops trying.”
Fisher added that, “He’s just a great kid. You root for kids like Will. We’re cheering hard for him.”
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Will Lynch waited his turn. And watched and learned while he waited.
As a freshman, he saw Aiden Hoenisch, Danny Bensch and Kyle Allen combine for 62 goals and 47 assists for the boys’ soccer team of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville. Two seasons ago he played alongside James Ferraro, who collected 21 goals and 11 assists. Last year Ryan Watson led the Irish with 13 goals and Lynch was right behind with 12 goals and 12 assists.
“I’ve been practicing with the varsity since I was a freshman, so I got to see all those guys who are high-level players playing at good colleges,” Lynch said. “Just competing against them made me a better player.”
Notre Dame senior Will Lynch, left, runs the ball during a recent match. Carter Hillsdon photo His talents are being showcased this season. Now a senior, on a team with ample firepower, Lynch has become “The Man” with 22 goals and nine assists.
It has been a huge leap from a 9th-grade year in which he had just one assist.
“He’s having a great year, and we knew he would,” Irish coach Bryan Fisher said. “It’s amazing to watch him grow from that young kid who was getting knocked around as a freshman. He’s playing with determination and is trying to end his career on the highest note possible. He’s exploded this year.”
Entering the Oct. 17 regular-season finale against Ewing, Lynch led Mercer County in goals. He has accepted the mantle of being ND’s go-to player.
“I feel like it’s almost expected,” he said. “Every year Notre Dame has at least that one guy who’s scoring 20 goals. I felt like this year it had to be me. I’ve been working in the off-season. My coach has been pushing me, my team’s been pushing me.”
Lynch started his career defending as a right back for Philadelphia Union Academy in Pennsylvania. When he moved to FC Bucks, he was switched to an attacking position at center mid, where he still plays for the PDA Hibernians. Fisher has had him as a withdrawn forward for Notre Dame.
After a freshman year of learning how things work on varsity, Lynch showed his potential with 11 goals and eight assists the next season and has been dangerous ever since.
Like most great forwards, he has that hunger to score.
“He’s an incredibly hard worker and a relentless competitor,” Fisher said. “He’s got a lot of passion for the game and more importantly passion for his teammates.”
Lynch will not force the issue when it comes to scoring and will lay the ball off to teammate who’s in a better spot to score.
But when an opportunity to score arises, Will is willing.
Will Lynch proudly relishes a satisfying Notre Dame soccer game. Carter Hillsdon photo“He can get the ball over the top and beat people on breakaways,” Fisher said. “He can go one-v-one. A lot of times he’s smothered and he’s beating two or three guys. He’s great in the air, great on his feet; and inside the box he’s relentless.”
While some teams will man mark Lynch and shadow him all over the field, others will opt to prevent his teammates from feeding him the ball.
“I definitely feel like teams know what I’m trying to do,” Lynch said. “Some teams put two on me, some have players in my area to cut us off. I feel it depends on how we come out, how physical we are. If we’re challenging and we’re energetic, that’s really the main factor in games.”
And conditioning has been a main factor in Lynch’s constant improvement.
“He’s done a lot of work to be a really strong athlete,” Fisher said. “We brought him up as a freshman. He was just a young kid, a baby. Now he’s a man. It’s great to see.”
What Lynch and Fisher would really like to see is the Irish make a strong run in the upcoming Colonial Valley Conference and state tournaments.
“It’s really all our team wants,” Lynch said. “These [regular season] games are big, but what really matters are these games coming up. We’re gonna be hungry.”
Lynch’s appetite for soccer is never-ending and he hopes to play in college next year. He is undecided but has gained the interest of several schools. For now, he will keep making a positive impact on the Notre Dame community.
“Will is probably one of the kindest kids I know,” said ND English teacher Cindy Bannon, who has Lynch in class. “He is so passionate about soccer and most things. He never stops trying.”
Fisher added that, “He’s just a great kid. You root for kids like Will. We’re cheering hard for him.”