The boys varsity soccer team placed in sixth place in the SCC conference, winning four games and losing nine games over the course of the season.

     The Spartans only have two games left in the season before the playoffs. Compared to last season, they have improved their game quite a bit, seeing as they won one more conference game this season.

     “The team has improved so much since the season started. Our team defense is much more organized and on track to allow fewer goals from last year. The attack is something I really haven’t had to coach much and so far we have been scoring a good amount of goals,” Coach Austin Knight said. 

     The Spartans conceded 11 more goals last season than in this season. They now have a stronger, more disciplined defense, decreasing the goals scored against them.

     “I believe this year, unlike past years, we have improved as a whole team, especially the defense. With challenges with covid and no preseason to work out our formation and style of play we have found a strategy that helps us not only score more goals but stop the goals against us from happening,” junior defender Diego Grande said.

     The Spartans have scored a total of 38 goals this season thus far. The team leaders for goals are freshman Vincent Gallardo with seven goals, freshman Haakon Arneson and senior Adham Testman both with five goals. 

     “Our offense has done a really good job of constantly pressuring, and with that pressure, we end up scoring many goals. Overall when we play we play and come together as a team which really has benefitted us,” Testman said. 

   Possessing a strong team bond and creating chances on goal has allowed the Spartans to not only score goals but to complete 28 total assists as well. Assist leaders being junior Rami Zeitouni and Testman, both with four assists. 

     “As we have been playing more games we have adapted to everyone’s way of playing as well as the play of the different teams we go against, therefore creating more assists and more chances to score,” Grande said. 

     Out of all the improvements the Spartans have had in their season, they are still focusing on one main goal they want to achieve. 

     “I really like how far this team has come from years before. I think we can all agree on placing top five in [the] conference will really show how much we’ve actually improved,” Testman said. 

     The Spartans will take on Marvin Ridge on March 9 at home and Piedmont on March 11 at Monroe to round out the 2021 soccer season.

     As the season comes to an end, Knight looks forward to what the future holds for this team and program.

     “I am excited to start building up a solid program where the kids will know what they will get year in and year out. It’s a program where the student-athlete will become a better player and person by the end of the season,” Knight said.