Since tryouts in August, the boys varsity soccer team can be seen practicing defensive skills and shooting drills to prepare for their fall season. This year, the team was able to capture the title of Overall Metro League Champions by ending with a record of 11 wins and two losses. Their successful record allowed them to advance to the state semifinals. 

“Each year our goal is to advance as far as possible,” senior Mitchell Scheer said, “but I don’t think at the beginning of the season we thought we’d be going to the states,although we definitely had the potential. The bond we had with each other is another main reason we could do so. There has never been a team I have played on that has been as close as we are. Our bond gave us the ability to be successful in the end.”

The last game of the season, the state-semi final game against the Melvindale cardinals, was held at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep on Oct 30. The crowd watched as the clock ran out with the two teams still tied at 1. The game progressed into two 10-minute overtimes. The first resulting in Melvindale scoring twice, the second brought the final score to 4-1, a loss for the tigers. 

“During our postseason run we faced extremely hard teams,” senior Alex Flannery said. “Games were a fight, but we played with no regrets and we were able to accomplish great things.”

Flannery points out head coach Matt Sullivan as the one person in charge of most of the team’s successes. 

“Sullivan and the other coaches had trust in us and knew what we were capable of,” Flannery said. “He has really helped us by not being so tight and nervous as we were playing in big games.”

The team also attributes this year’s success to their team chemistry and bond they formed over the season. For the five graduating seniors, it was a bittersweet last game.

“It’s beyond sad that the season has come to an end because we worked really well as a team,” Scheer said. “We didn’t put as much emphasis on others and instead focused on ourselves and what we needed to do to get better. I feel like that was one of the main reasons we were able to do so well in our season compared to other schools around us.”

Those interested in playing next year should contact head coach Matthew Sullivan at [email protected].