The concluding games of the boys’ junior varsity soccer season are quickly approaching, and tension within the team is rising. In order for Quartz Hill to prove victorious in the last few games of the season, each player is encouraged to show off their skills and use the knowledge they have collected over the course of the season.

On January 26, 2018, the boys’ team won a game against the league’s first place team, Antelope Valley High School. The boys now have a record of three wins, two ties, and five losses. Although the boys’ JV soccer team is going strong, it had a rough start to the season. Since a large portion of the team is composed of freshmen and not many upperclassmen returned, the team had to spend a lot of time learning the basics of soccer.

Ethan Utzinger, a sophomore on the JV team, shared his thoughts on the topic. He stated, “Overall, [the team] is now at an advantage, and we are gaining more knowledge from our mistakes. With practice, we will only get better, and we plan to be victorious in our next few games.”

In order to improve the condition of the team, the players are practicing with more motivation and a different mentality. It is important that the JV soccer team obtains their desired score quickly while they still have time to advance in the league. In order to improve, the boys need to train vigorously. Some training exercises that the team plans to incorporate in its new schedule are technical warm ups, strategic plays, macro strategies, and other drills.   

Although all of the players make important contributions to the team’s success, the defensive players are the driving force behind the team. The defensive line is what protects and upholds the team during some of the toughest games. Out of the six defensive spots, four belong to freshmen. This is great news considering the freshmen will only improve with time.

Although all the players on the team are extremely talented, one player particularly stands out to his teammates. Freshman Nils Muralles has a lot of potential, and he is one of the team’s most valuable players. Muralles is prepared to incorporate his newly-learned skills during his games. Teammate Alexander Brjestovsky commented, “Nils is one of those players who pays attention to the details of the game. Instead of solely relying on skill, he leans more towards tactic and positioning. The strategies that he uses are what make him such a productive player on our team’s attacking half.”

Even though the boys’ junior varsity soccer team had a bumpy start to the season, they are determined to get back on top through their hard work and dedication. Wish them luck at their next game!