Back With a Vengeance

Last year the boy’s varsity soccer team swooped in and made it all the way to the state semifinals. With the soccer season starting up there’s one thing weighing on all the boy’s minds: winning state.

MN boys soccer has only won the state championship twice: first in 1995 followed by a win in 2007. After that last win, making it to last year’s state semifinals was the first real excitement for the team.

“Before last year we were quite young and it is one thing to have skill to play varsity and another thing to handle the speed, rigor and mental and physical demands of playing so many games in a short period of time in the difficult weather that we have,” Bill Cunningham, Boys Soccer Varsity Coach said.

This season the boys are ready to refine their skills individually, as well as a team to get ready for this year’s state championship.

“I think that they matured and become much stronger physically and mentally,” Cunningham said.

The MN soccer team put in hours of practice and teamwork to improve. Besides what is seen by students and fans who watch the boys on the field during games, the boy practices everyday after school as well as having additional weekend practices.

“Last season’s success can be attributed solely to drive. We were definitely not the best team in the tournament, but we fought through a tough district and completed multiple upsets to reach the semifinal,” senior Alex Jana said.

After a season consisting of 9 losses and 9 wins last year, the boys lost 0-2 in the semifinals to the Creighton Prep team.

Although the competition will be tough, the team is looking forward to the opportunity to prepare and work for their chance at a good season ending in the chance “get back to state and finish some unfinished business” junior Ben Schulz said.

Already this season the boys have put on a good show. With only three losses along with six wins, the boys have shown their potential this season.

While the losses demonstrate there is room for improvement, a majority of wins for the boys indicates this season is shaping up in their favor.

Furthermore, with all three losses, including one against Creighton Prep who beat them in the state semifinals by two, being only by one point the boys have the chance to make a comeback. Taking this year’s state tournament and beating the teams they previously lost to.

“Our goal is quite simply to win state. While we realize this is a lofty goal, we know that this year we have the potential and skill to make a deep run in the tournament,” Jana said.