FARMINGTON – Logan Drozd is back.
Last season, it took the Farmington All-State midfielder about half of the season to feel like himself again after he had a meniscus tear in his right knee repaired.
This season, he’s had on-and-off nagging injuries that have kept him out of about half of Farmington’s games. But now he’s healthy and ready for Farmington’s post-season run. Tuesday night, the River Hawks (14-2-4) beat Conard 2-0 in a Class LL second round boys soccer game at Tunxis Mead Park.
Next up is Fairfield Prep – which knocked Farmington out last season in the first round – in the Class LL quarterfinal on Friday afternoon at a time to be determined at Tunxis Mead.
Drozd scored the first goal early in the game Tuesday.
“He’s fully healthy now,” Farmington coach Nick Boorman said. “We kept him out for a while to make sure he’d be ready to go for the tournament.
“He brings intensity, an extremely high skill level. He’s a Division I talent for sure. He’s a great leader on the field.”
Drozd, who was a CHSCA All-Stater as a junior and hopes to play at Central Connecticut though he has not committed yet, has seven goals and three assists this season.
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I had some small injuries this year where it knocked me out a few games – hamstring, overuse stuff. It was frustrating because I missed games, practices. But nothing serious.”
In the spring of 2023, Drozd tore his meniscus playing club soccer. He had the meniscus repaired, which he said required a 6- to 8-month recovery period.
“I would say at the beginning of the high school season last year I was still struggling fitness-wise, even mentally, because I was always scared of hurting it again,” Drozd said. “There was something halfway through that season where it just clicked and I felt like I was playing normal again. It just sort of happened. I don’t even think about it anymore.”
Even with the slow start, Boorman said, “He still was one of the best players in the state last year. This year, he’s had some unfortunate injuries, where he’s had to miss half our games. muscle strains and things. It’s been tough on him. When he was out, he was their biggest cheerleader. He brought the intensity from the sideline. He’s a true leader.”
Drozd was a freshman who didn’t play much the last time Farmington won a Class LL state title in 2021. His sophomore year, the River Hawks were knocked out in the first round of the tournament, losing to eventual Class LL champion Greenwich on penalty kicks (3-0). Last year, they also exited in the first round, losing 3-2 (12-11 on penalty kicks) to Fairfield Prep in Class LL.
So he was a little nervous going into the first round this year but Farmington, the seventh seed, beat Hamden 1-0.
“I’m always a little nervous going into the tournament games,” he said.
But Drozd is one of 18 seniors on the team, so Farmington has plenty of experience.
“It’s an incredible group,” Boorman said.