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Clearing the ball downfield, Samuel Nicole ‘28 sends it away from danger helping relieve pressure on the defense. His kick helped reset play and maintain Westwood’s control of the match.
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Carrying the ball into open space, Riley Ang ‘27 pushes the play upfield and looks to spark a Warrior attack. His forward run helped shift momentum and apply pressure on the Cedar Ridge defense.
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Contesting the ball, Wilman Hawkins ‘28 steps in to challenge a Cedar Ridge player and break up the play. His defensive effort helped put stress on the Raiders as time was running out.
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Fighting through pressure, Raman Mojtahed ‘28 challenges for teh ball and works to regain possession for the Warriors. His effort helped disrupt Cedar Ridge’s attack and keep play competitive in midfield.
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Driving toward the defense, Kedaar Jayagopal ‘28 carries the ball forward and looks to create an opening for the Warriors. His control and movement helped keep up the pressure.
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Battling for possession, Jaxon Balderach ‘28 shields the ball from a Cedar Ridge defender and works to keep the play alive for the Warriors. His effort helped maintain attacking pressure and push play forward.
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Scanning the field, Tejan Bhirud ‘27 controls the ball and prepares to move the play forward for the Warriors. His awareness helped maintain possession and set up the next phase of the attack.
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Setting up a pass in order to distribute the ball, Dhruv Pandare ‘27 looks to create space for the Warriors’ attack. His decision-making helped maintain possession and keep Westwood moving forward.
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Pushing the ball forward, Diego Garcia ‘29 advances the attack and looks to create an opportunity for the Warriors. His run helped apply pressure to the Cedar Ridge defense and keep the play moving upfield.
Beginning the season in cold weather, the boys JV orange soccer team played their first district game against the Cedar Ridge Raiders, taking place on Friday, Jan. 16, at the Warrior Bowl. The Warriors won with a 4-2 point lead, kicking off the season with a confident start.
“Most of the way we prepare ourselves is more mentality than strategy itself,” Colin Lanier ‘27 said. “How we bring ourselves into the game and how you approach it is one of the biggest aspects.”
From the opening whistle, an early blow tested the Westwood Warriors. The Raiders started with a decisive attack, catching the Warriors off guard. While the Warriors did try to gain possession of the ball, the Raiders pushed through the Warrior defenses.
The Raiders had gotten through the defense and scored a goal within the first few minutes of the game. This, however, didn’t define the Warriors’ night. They stayed determined to regain that point they had lost.
“[The toughest moment we faced in the game was] when we got scored on in the first five minutes,” Campbell Cox ‘28 said. “I think staying positive after we got scored on lifted us up.”
After this shaky start, the Warriors found their momentum against the Cedar Ridge Raiders. The Warriors responded with their first goal against the Raiders, giving them confidence and setting the tone for their eventual victory.
Following this goal, the Warriors quickly used their newfound momentum to their advantage, working together to score another back-to-back goal to advance their lead to 2-0. This quick response was essential in both energizing the team and boosting their confidence.
“I would say that [the turning point was] after we got our first goal, because everyone’s mentality went up,” Lanier said. “I think it just came down to who wanted it more, and we put in more effort, and we were more prepared.”
After another dominant Warrior goal and a sneaky Raider score, the scoreboard sat at 3-1. The ball had begun quickly shifting between both sides. Just as the Raiders managed to score their next goal quickly with just under three minutes remaining on the clock, the Warriors followed up on the same pattern they had held since the beginning of the game, pushing and swiftly scoring their next goal almost immediately after the Raiders.
Westwood’s offense was led by Wilman Hawkins ’28, who scored twice for the Warriors and consistently kept the pressure on against Cedar Ridge’s defense throughout the match. Jean Maldonado ’28 had approached from the midfield to the opponent’s side, scoring a goal and Riley Ang ’27 successfully approached the opponent’s goal as a Forward and scored the fourth and final goal for the Warriors.
“I thought it was a great goal,” Hawkins said. “I thought I was going to miss the shot [moments before the goal], but I shot it.”
The Warriors will play against the Hutto Hippos on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Warrior Bowl at 5.45 p.m.
