Varsity boys soccer shoot for big season

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Christopher Caryl

Senior Anthony DiTomas looks to take it to the goal as captain Henry Pernsteiner looks on.

Anthony DiTomas, Guest Writer

The boys varsity soccer team has big goals as they fight through another season.

Assistant coach Oscar Sarmiento has high hopes for the team. He said, “I have seen improvement. They have won more than last year…they have a chance to actually go deep in the playoffs. So the goal is for us as coaches to analyze how we lose and how we win so that when it comes, we actually are doing the right thing.”

Much like Sarmiento, senior captain Dominic Ferenac envisions big things for the team. “As a team, we should be able to win the conference this year since we won it last year and we have an even better team this year,” he said.

Sarmiento believes the lads offseason training has set them up for success. “I was here in June and July a lot for captain’s practices and I was able to do some camps with Coach McNamara so I was able to see the work individually, without assistance. I think they actually have managed to improve game-by-game…and it’s showing,” he said.

Junior captain Henry Pernsteiner believes this year’s team has the necessary talent. “This year’s team has a lot of strength. For example, we have a lot of individual talent all over the field and with strong leadership we can achieve something special,” he said.

Ferenac highlighted the bench as a strength of this year’s team. He said, “The biggest strength of the team is how deep our bench is and the amount of returning varsity players we have.”

Pernsteiner acknowledges the fact that the lads will face some challenges this season. He said, “The team will face a lot of challenges such as stiff competition, staying organized and focused as well as physical battles such as staying in shape and injuries.”

Ferenac agrees with Pernsteiner, believing that injuries and red cards could be the biggest challenges for the team. “Avoiding injuries and red cards. We have a few players with high tempers so keeping them calm and preventing them from getting getting red cards,” he said.

From a coaching perspective, Sarmiento believes the lads play on the field is the biggest factor in the team’s success. He said, “As coaches we’re seeing what’s up and where we can put players together, but they are the ones who deliver.”

Sarmiento admits that the lads’ tendency to become complacent can plague them. “We have to step it up. We have to be conscious that although we have a solid team and the competition within a group is solid, we need to also understand that they (the opposition) are probably going to the same thing. Those teams are facing us with hunger and they want to beat us to therefore we have to also be conscious of that. We cannot be just all cocky and say hey we’re going to beat everybody,” he said.

Ferenac accepts these challenges that Sarmiento poses. He believes it’s his role as the captain to keep the team in line and playing to full potential. He said, “With this being my third year on varsity, I have an idea of how things work. I plan on using my experience to help guide the team in areas of uncertainty.”

Pernsteiner also looks to take on the leadership role in a big way, much like Ferenac. “I hope to be a big presence in the defensive and midfield thirds of the field, to organize us in order to prevent breakdowns, as well as help our team possess the ball,” he said.

As the seasons goes on, Ferenac will keep the lads focused on their main goal. “Another goal is for us to go deep in the playoffs and make it to the district final,” he said.