Every high school athlete wants to go out on a high note for their senior season. Oneonta soccer standout Matthew Rubin certainly did that in 2024.
Rubin is the Daily Star’s 2024 Boys Soccer Player of the Year after racking up a number of postseason accolades and helping to lead the Yellowjackets to the Section IV Class B final.
The senior midfielder was Oneonta’s top goalscorer and among the best in the area with 26 goals on the season. Rubin was a STAC All-Conference selection and was one of just four local players to receive All-State recognition from the United Soccer Coaches Association.
Rubin and the Yellowjackets also came within a game of a sectional title, falling to Class B powerhouse Chenango Forks 3-0 in the Section IV final to finish the year with a record of 11-7.
Knowing this was his final go-round in an Oneonta uniform, Rubin wanted to make the 2024 season was a special one.
“I think every senior does, to be honest,” he said. “There’s always that little bit of pressure that this is going to be the last time you’re playing at your high school. I just went in with a winning mentality and the team was up for the challenge.”
Serving as one of the Yellowjackets’ captains, Rubin’s impact went far beyond the boxscore.
“I tried to use my past experience to lift the team no matter what the scenario was,” he said.
That leadership was a big help to Oneonta coach Todd Scanlon, who took over from longtime varsity coach Alex Brannan this past season.
“He doesn’t toot his own horn by any means but he leads by example,” Scanlon said of Rubin. “He just works, works, works. I wish I had 10 more of him coming behind.”
While this was Scanlon’s first season as the varsity head coach, his relationship with Rubin goes back years. Getting a chance to interact with Rubin on a daily basis allowed him to see firsthand his development as a player and leader.
“If you want to know what I want to see? That’s what I want to see,” Scanlon said of Rubin’s approach to the game. “What he’s doing is what I want to see from everybody. That energy level, he just doesn’t stop. It’s not an option until the last whistle. He’s a competitor through and through.”
Scanlon added that it’s the way Rubin competes that separates him from other players.
“He plays his ass off and he’s tougher than nails, but he’s not a dirty player. He’s not a malicious player,” he said. “He understands respect and sportsmanship; some kids lose sight of that.”
Both Rubin and Scanlon pointed to Oneonta’s season-opening 5-2 win against a strong Seton Catholic program — one in which Rubin netted a hat trick — as jumpstarting the team’s season.
But for Rubin, the most memorable game of the season was the Yellowjackets’ 2-1 victory over Chenango Valley in the sectional semifinals. After splitting their two regular season meetings, Oneonta fell behind 1-0 before Rubin provided an assist on Darren Rose’s tying goal and then scored the winning goal late in the second half.
“It was one of the best feelings in my career because they were a good team,” Rubin said.
While they came up short in the sectional final, it was the second time in three years that Oneonta made it to the title game. Rubin said this year’s run was just as special, if not more so, than the one that he was a part of two years ago on a talented team that featured 2022 Daily Star Player of the Year Finlay Oliver.
“The fact that we got to the finals this year with this team I thought was a major accomplishment that I don’t think some of the players realized,” Rubin said.
Rubin said he hopes to continue to play at the next level, though hadn’t decided on what college he’ll be attending as of the publication of this story. He said he hopes to study business administration.
When asked what he’ll miss the most about playing high school soccer, Rubin said it will be playing in front of the raucous OHS student section.
“I love the passion of Oneonta, what we have here,” he said. “Everyone showing up to the games with the themes of the game. It riles you up a little bit so I’m definitely going to miss that big time.”
He also said he’ll cherish being able to play with his younger brother Luca, who provided assists on 15 of Matthew’s 26 goals, as well as his cousins Anthony and Niko Iannelli.
“The team that gets a hold of him is going to be very fortunate,” Scanlon said. “I’m just super proud of him.”
South Kortright’s LiCalzi named Coach of the Year
Like Scanlon, South Kortright’s Gary LiCalzi had big shoes to fill in 2024 as he took over the Rams’ boys varsity team.
After Bob VanValkenburgh stepped down after more than four decades as head coach, LiCalzi took the reins after 27 years spent with the modified team.
His first season couldn’t have gone much better as South Kortright won the Section IV Class D title en route to a 13-6 record. That instant success made LiCalzi a worthy choice as the Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.
“It was more just changing gears from the developmental side to playing more for keeps with the varsity,” LiCalzi said about the transition to varsity. “I really, really enjoyed that change. I wasn’t sure if I would, to be honest.”
While he often turned to VanValkenburgh for advice, LiCalzi knew it was important to establish his own identity as a coach.
“We were joking before the season, ‘What’s the trick to following someone like [Bob]?,’ and the answer is, you don’t,” LiCalzi said.
While the Rams experienced ups and downs during the season, LiCalzi pointed to a tough loss to Margaretville in early October that prompted a change in the team’s attitude.
After falling short in the Delaware League playoffs, the Rams went on a run in the sectional playoffs, defeating Laurens/Milford and Worcester before taking on top-seeded Edmeston in the Class D final.
The Panthers had easily defeated SK 6-3 earlier in the year at the Stamford Mayor’s Cup. But the Rams got their revenge with a 2-0 victory that marked the fourth straight season of claiming at least a share of the sectional title.
While South Kortright fell to eventual State Champion Hamilton in the Regional final, the 2024 season marked quite the beginning to the Gary LiCalzi era.
Player of the Year
Matthew Rubin, Oneonta, senior
Coach of the Year
Gary LiCalzi, South Kortright, 13-6
2024 BOYS SOCCER ALL-STARS
USCA All-State Selections (Small School)
Gavin McEnroe, Edmeston; Brock Redner, Edmeston; Kloden Rapp, Greene; Matthew Rubin, Oneonta
Center State Conference: Riley Diamond, Cooperstown; Roland Gardner-Olesen, Cooperstown; Janak Pandit, Cooperstown
Delaware League: Donavan Fermin, Gilboa/Roxbury; Roni Grieco, Gilboa/Roxbury; Jordan Johnston, Gilboa/Roxbury; Collin Lyke, Gilboa/Roxbury; Logan Vamosy, Gilboa/Roxbury; Mason Bellinger, Hunter-Tannersville; Jon Michael Leas, Jefferson/Stamford; Hunter Balcom, Margaretville; CJ Fairbairn, Margaretville; Jack Byrne, South Kortright; Brayden Sparkes, South Kortright; Cole Thomas, South Kortright; Gavin Harrington, Walton/Downsville; Travis Houck, Walton/Downsville; Chase Mabery, Walton/Downsville; Jack Pellettier, Windham-Ashland-Jewett
Midstate Athletic Conference: Toni Obeada, Afton/Harpursville; Brock Porter, Bainbridge-Guilford; Teddy Kelsh, Delhi; Cole Vredenburgh, Delhi; Kloden Rapp, Greene; Seth Symons, Greene; Sam Hendricks, Oxford; Paxton LaMonica, Oxford; Donovan Rickard, Oxford; Jared Sheridan, Oxford; Travis Weeden, Sidney; Haywood Edwards, UV/G-MU
Southern Tier Athletic Conference: Brett Jacobs, Oneonta; Darren Rose; Oneonta; Matthew Rubin, Oneonta
Tri-Valley League: Kris Cade, CV-S/SS; Mason Kutinsky, CV-S/SS; Gavin McEnroe, Edmeston; Brock Redner, Edmeston; Rhys Calleja, Laurens/Milford; Aidan Mertz, Laurens/Milford; Ryan Murphy, Morris; Carter Swayer, Morris; Mike Competiello, Schenevus; Jake Kingsbury, Unatego/Franklin; Xander Johnson, Unatego/Franklin; Alex Adams, Worcester; Conner Land, Worcester; Derek Land, Worcester