Varsity Mens Soccer Clinches District Champion Title Following 1-0 Win Against Vipers

Jayant Bettadpur, Reporter| March 12, 2023

  • Excited, Daniel Goolsbey ’24 jumps from the crowd of players, adding to the celebratory atmosphere. Goolsbey and other members of the JV soccer team were present to show their support.

    Catharine Li
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  • Midair, Mateo Ghercioiu ’23 recovers from a header shot. Several skirmishes between players led to more aggresive play style.

    Catharine Li
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  • Working around a tackle, midfielder Alex Kalakanis ’23 looks for an open pass. Kalakanis employed a consistent aggression that created ample room for effective offense.

    Catharine Li
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  • Fighting for the ball, forward Kawan Borba ’23 runs to gain possession. Swift movement allowed Borba to play with agility.

    Catharine Li
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  • Focused, Head Coach Chris Hellums and Assistant Coach Jacob Beatty monitor the players from the sidelines. During the team huddle prior to the game, the coaches emphasized clear communication.

    Catharine Li
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  • Attentive to the game, varsity team members await the results of a throw-in. Vocal reactions from the players added to the high-energy environment.

    Catharine Li
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  • Going down the line, Coach Chris Rapp hi-fives an athletic trainer. Celebrations erupted for the first goal made by Patrick Cotey ’23.

    Catharine Li
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  • Observing chants from the student section, Benji DeBlois ’26, Alonzo Estrada ’25, and Luca Suliin ’25 prepare to join in. Game attendees eagerly watched the last seconds of the game before storming the field.

    Catharine Li
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  • Juniors Campbell Hardin, Molly May, and Maddy Serpas project supportive cheers across the field. Crowd enthusiasm grew as the game went on.

    Catharine Li
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  • Driving forward, defender Kane Seghi ’23 works the ball up the field. Seghi opened up many opportunities for scoring.

    Catharine Li
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  • Embracing, seniors Alex Kalakanis ’23 and Carlo Fernandez ’23 absorb the energy from crowd. The team’s win heightened the significance of senior night.

    Catharine Li
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  • The varsity seniors and their families pose for a photo before the game begins. Each senior player was recognized and celebrated before the game began.

    Hannah Ashtari
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  • The team celebrates after Patrick Cotey ’23 scores a goal. This was the only goal scored of the game.

    Hannah Ashtari
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  • Patrick Cotey ’23 passes the ball up the field with a Viper defender on his right side.

    Hannah Ashtari
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  • Mateo Ghercioiu ’23 kicks the ball up the field to remove it from the Warriors’ defensive side.

    Hannah Ashtari
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As the clock hit zero, fans and players alike stormed the field as the varsity men’s soccer team took down the Vandegrift Vipers on Friday, March 17, with a score of 1-0. The game was intense throughout, with several fouls and chances for both teams. 

The Vipers received kickoff and immediately put plenty of shots on goal, most drifting wide or over the crossbar. The Warriors immediately responded with high-tempo passing, switching the field and creating opportunities on goal. After a series of stops from Vandegrift, the Warriors shifted the ball back into their backline, keeping possession away from the Vipers and occasionally playing a long ball to the wingers. However, the Vipers won the ball in midfield and sent a shot on goal, forcing a save from Suhaas Patil ‘23

The second half opened with a Warriors kick, and the intensity started where it left off. Both teams became more aggressive with several fouls, with players on both teams given yellow cards. Then, after a ball slipped in behind, Kawan Borba ‘23 found himself through on goal, then being taken down for a free kick by Vandegrift’s goalkeeper, who was shown a red card. However, after a conversation with the referees, the Warriors were awarded a penalty instead, and the Viper’s keeper was shown only a yellow. Stepping up to the spot, Patrick Cotey ‘23 drilled the ball into the bottom left corner, running into the stands to celebrate. 

The rest of the game was filled with many goal scoring opportunities, with the Viper’s looking to come back into the game. Shots by Vandegrift players were met by blocks and strong clearances that ended up in the stands. As time winded down, Vandegrift weren’t able to get any more shots, and the game ended 1-0, with players embracing each other and taking pictures with the trophy, celebrating their district champion title. 

The Warriors played the Dripping Springs Tigers at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex for the bi-district playoff game on Thursday, March 23, and lost 5-4 in penalty kicks.