A lot has to be said about the integrity of Eaglecrest boys varsity soccer team. Although they do have undeniable talent, which was demonstrated when they beat Lakewood 1-0 and Vista Peak 3-1, they can’t win them all, which is what unfortunately transpired against Far Northeast on the 12th of September when Eaglecrest lost 4-2. The loss impacted the team in the moment, but did little to fracture their effort and work ethic for the future of their season.

Varsity center middle Zach Schneider, described how the team felt when he confided, “We took it really rough and [we] let ourselves down, but we will comeback for our next game”. An iron-skinned confidence in the ability for the team to bounce back after a loss might just be a winning factor in their next game. Schneider justifies this confidence, stating, “I have the confidence in our team [because we have the potential] to win when we all work for each other.” That says enough about the team’s likelihood for future victory.

The soccer community at Eaglecrest is strongest in it’s sportsmanship. Coach Matt Best has appeared to instill a sense of brotherhood and passion in his players which can clearly be seen in Varsity center back Arnold Gutierrez. Gutierrez simply says “representing the school” is the best part about playing as a Raptor for EHS, and the thing he most looks forward to about the remainder of the season is “Having good games and winning them [because] the rest are home games and [i’m also looking forward to] playing against former teammates.” At Eaglecrest, soccer isn’t a game; it’s a lifestyle for it’s players, and playing it is a way of representing their community, values, and individual potential. It is evident that here at Eaglecrest, soccer is more than just a sport, and a loss is just an opportunity to be better in the future.