Marin & captains lead MHS boys’ soccer to greatness

With a winning record at press time, the Methuen High School boys’ soccer team is on an upswing. The program has developed and improved dramatically under the tutelage of head coach Henry Marin.

He comments on where the team is right now: “Halfway through the season, we are playing well but still some room for improvement. Some standout players are senior Captains Yaseen Dakiri (Midfielder) and Matthew Mrabu (Goalie). Both have been solid so far this year.”

For Mrabu,16, the feeling is mutual: “Coach Marin is a great coach who always pushes us to the limit and allows us to unlock our full potential. What makes him such a great coach is how he cares for all of us even during the offseason making sure we’re all doing well.”

Adds Dakiri,17, “The team’s performance this year is great. We faced tough competition, learning from both wins and losses. Overall, we are growing and getting better every day.

Coach Marin is awesome. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had throughout my soccer career. He’s really good at helping us work as a team and push past our limits.”

Indeed, the success of the 2025 Rangers is somewhat unexpected. Marin explains, “After losing 11 seniors and 8 starters last year, the team has been doing well. We had a lot of positions that needed to be filled, and guys have stepped up and done an awesome job filling those positions.”

In addition to positions and plays, this year’s team is built on camaraderie. Says Mrabu, “This team is a family. We are always together doing team bonding. For example, we have pasta dinners before every home game. Small things like this build the chemistry within the team which is going to translate into the games. We all stand up for one another and we bleed for each other.”

For Marin, the success of his team is a reflection of his passion for soccer.

“I love what I do,” he relates. “I’m a very passionate coach with a lot of energy. I like my teams to work hard and have possession of the ball in order to build in the attack to score. I love celebrating goals. When we don’t have the ball, I like to press high to gain possession.”

Dakiri has taken on a leadership role on the team. He explains, “As a captain I try to lead by example. I help lift my teammates’ heads up and keep them motivated. My role on the team is to have everyone play to their full potential and die for the badge. The team has great bonding. We are a family and we always try to do team bonding because we know it’s going to help us on the field.”

While Marin believes in enjoying the process, he is one tough coach.

He states, “I demand a lot from my players. I demand my players to be accountable, be respectful, have communication, be disciplined, put in effort, and be consistent.”

To carry this plan out, Marin depends on Mrabu, Dakiri and his other leaders.

“We have 4 senior captains that are all close friends and have been part of the program for all 4 years. In addition to Yaseen and Matthew, we have Erik Dalaney (Defense) and Owen Reilly (Midfield/Forward) as captains.

“I expect the leader to be the voice of the team, lead by example, and mentor the younger players. Be role models to the younger youth players that someday they would also play for Methuen and be a leader.”

Mrabu has taken this challenge and carried it out for sure, both personally and for the team.

“As a captain, I keep us focused on our goals and try to help the team stay motivated and together. My goals for this season were to get 8 clean sheets, have above a 75% save percentage, and to concede less than 18 goals,” he said. “My role on the team is to be a calming presence at the back, if the team knows they have a leader and someone they can trust between the sticks, it breeds confidence from the back line to the attack.”

Dakiri also combines personal objectives with the overall team feeling: “My goal this year is to score 10 goals. Right now, I’m at 5 goals, and there’s 9 games left. I believe I can do it. The goal for the team is to make States and battle for the MVC title. We are practicing in game situations so it can translate on the field.”

Speaking of goals, Coach Marin’s are fairly straightforward and simple. He offers, “The team’s goals are to have a winning record, make the state tournament again and compete for a Merrimack Valley Conference title. I want all my guys to be better players on and off the field.”

Better players also means better teammates, and several players have stepped up for Marin this year. He talks about the makeup of the club: “It’s great to see the team effort day in and day out. We’ve been in pretty much in every game this year. Just a few mistakes here and there that has caused us to drop points.”

Neither Mrabu nor Dakiri have committed to play college soccer, but both are focused on the task at hand.

Says Dakiri, “This team is all about family. We battle for each other and we bleed for each other.”

Adds Mrabu, “The team has been playing well. We’ve had ups and downs but we’ve been battling with good opposition, so as long as we keep working, we can go far. The goal for the team is to keep fighting for the MVC title, make States, and go as far as we can. We work on in-game scenarios to make things second nature once we’re on the pitch.

“I’m not sure if I’m going to play soccer in college but what I know is I love this game and, if it’s my last time playing, I want to know I didn’t hold anything back.”

Coach Marin agrees with Mrabu’s assessment of the remainder of the season.

“I see my team finishing the season strong and making the state tournament,” he states. “Hopefully, we can surprise some teams and make another run like we had last year. We are going to work on staying healthy and improving finishing the ball and scoring more goals.”

Marin has certainly seen a shift in the outlook and fortunes of MHS boys’ soccer recently. He explains why stating, “We have 13 seniors that are committed to make this year the best season ever. Over the last few years, the culture of this team has changed. Here at Methuen High School, the soccer team is a family (La Familia). I love going to the soccer field every day and coaching these guys.”

John Molori is an author, columnist, and a 2011 inductee into the Methuen Athletic Hall of Fame. Facebook: John Molori, Twitter @MoloriMedia. Email molorimedia@gmail.com