Boys’ soccer finishes strong

Team shares bond as brothers, ends season 10-8-4

Yulyana Clemente

Senior Kobo Soto (20) rushes for the ball before a Marcus player gets to it during the game on Friday, March 22.

The boys’ soccer season has ended with a final record of 10-8-4. The team’s goal was to make playoffs, but they weren’t able to achieve it this year. On Friday, March 22 the last game of the season was played against Marcus High School, finishing with a 2-1 win.

“We didn’t quite reach the goals we set for ourselves to make it to playoffs,” head coach Brandon McCallum said. “[But] it was exciting watching these kids get to play and win their last game at home and [also] beating our rivals kind of made up a little for not making it into playoffs.”

While the last game was joyful and self-satisfying for the players because they won against their longtime rival, players have come to accept the season could have ended differently if they gave it all they had.

“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster not going to lie; we had a good start but our season kind of went downhill until the end,” senior captain Leonel Romo said. “We [had] to [give] 110 percent in each game because we get lazy during the game [and] then we lose the ball. We [weren’t] giving 110 percent and we didn’t achieve our goal.”

The excitement of the game also made seniors overjoyed but the realization of the season being over made some seniors sad. The brotherhood the team has built throughout the years was viewed by the fans who went to cheer them on their last home game.

“Every morning, everybody, everyone being there [in] practice brought us all together and our wins and loses also [brought us] together,” Romo said. “As a captain, I’m proud of my team because even when we lost we played hard [and] we played with our hearts out. I’m proud of all the boys.”

Sharing wins, loses and laughs is how the season ended for the varsity soccer boys. The brotherhood the team carried was based on friendship both on and off the field.

“In practice, we always laugh and practice with all our hearts and we would encourage everybody and just fight every day for our goal,” senior Jesus Luna said. “It’s sad it’s over but it’s a thing of life and we’re going to have to move on and just be ready for our next chapter in life.”