Sibling rivalry reached a new level in the Hendrickson household this fall. Both Evelyn and Brayden Hendrickson earned starting roles in goal for the Randolph varsity soccer teams.
Things haven't cooled down as the season progressed.
Evelyn has allowed only six goals and posted 12 shutouts as the Randolph girls clinched the NJAC-American title. She has an intense, veteran back line in front of her, led by seniors Amiyah Soto (Buffalo) and Lulu Wenger (Virginia Tech), who are both committed to NCAA Division I programs.
A senior and first-year varsity starter, Brayden is working with newer defenders like sophomore Colin Senn and junior Andrew Rosenberg. The Rams boys have allowed 15 goals, posted nine shutouts, and returned to the Morris County Tournament final on Oct. 24.
The siblings came up working out together, since Evelyn shifted into the net when she moved to Cheshire Soccer Academy. A former center back, Brayden became a goalkeeper in third grade.
"I remember being like, 'Ooh, I can use my hands.' I thought that was really cool," Brayden said. "I can kick a ball really far."
Though Brayden has grown to 6-foot-4, he cited distribution with his feet as a strength. He said Evelyn shares that trait, adding, "She'll be really good after this year, when she really starts to develop her footwork."
Brayden believes his most significant skill development came during sophomore and junior year, and confidence came between junior year and this fall. Evelyn, a sophomore, is 5-foot-6, and focusing on positioning more than her older brother's length and ability to propel himself to any ball.
Their mother was a striker back in the day.
"I was a field player first, so I think that helps with the footwork," Evelyn said. "I'm very good at 1-v-1s, so part of that is understanding when to come out and what the striker's going to do and reacting based on that. I like to try and use my feet a lot, and be another option to get the pressure off."
Both siblings agree on who the best goalkeeper in the house is: Brayden, but he's got a couple of years' advantage. They sometimes train together with former Mendham goalkeeper Justin Robertiello, their club coach, during the high school offseason.
"I have to try and keep up with him or he gets mad," Evelyn said of her brother. "It's a little bit of a competition to prove I can do it too."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Goalkeepers' sibling rivalry fueling Randolph soccer success