The Men’s Varsity soccer team is currently 7-1-2. They were ranked number 1 in the Quad Seven City Conference at the start of the week. This is the first year with the conference changes. The new conference includes: Apex Friendship, Willow Spring, Jordan, Green Hope, Apex, and Panther Creek.
This week, they had three matches against Middle Creek, Holly Springs, and Willow Spring. Middle Creek came into the week undefeated and named number one in the 919 area code.
They won their first game in a hard fought battle against Middle Creek 1-0.
Junior Tyler Pidgeon is the lead goal scorer with 11 goals on the season. He scored the game-winner off an assist from Junior Derek Salas.
Pidgeon said, “It was a very unbelievable feeling to beat the number one team in the 919, and to have a goal, then to run to the corner with all my teammates.”
Pidgeon recognizes that there’s still more to come this week and knows that with hard work and perseverance, they can “pull through.”
Each game the coaches assign a “Gator of the Match” which is someone who impacted the team the most. In this impressive win, the whole team earned the “Gators of the Match.”
The Holly Springs Golden Hawks are 5-6 on the season. They’re looking to bounce back after a 0-1 loss to Millbrook early last week.
The Gators lost 0-1 to Holly Springs in a hard fought battle. Junior Chase Hogge earned “Gator of the Match” due to his great passes and defensive performance.
Hogge said, “It felt good that the coaches acknowledged how hard I worked and how hard I played.”
Derek Salas is leading the team in assists per match. Salas said, “It was a tough away game, and we just have to go back into thinking that we’re still the same team from Monday, the one that took away one of the best teams in the 919 area.”
Willow Spring has a record of 5-4-3, in conference they’re 1-0. The team is very excited to get to have another Quad City Seven Conference game.
Salas said, “We’re very excited. Last year, we swept them both times, so we hope to do the same again.”
Junior Sean Erickson is a centerback for the Gators. Erickson said, “Coming off a rough loss yesterday I think we’re going to come back on Thursday.”
They won 4-1 against the Willow Spring Storm. Pidgeon ended up breaking the program record of goals per season with 13. He also earned the Gator of the Match for his 2 goals and offensive impact.
Pidgeon said, “It felt great to be the Gator of the Match in the big conference game that helped us improve to 2-0 in conference play.”
Pidgeon was very excited to have broken the goal record this early in the season and as a Junior. All of his goals were a great team effort and he appreciates his coaches and teammates’ support.
After this packed week, their record has improved to 8-2-2 and 2-0 in the Quad City Seven. The Gators now look towards a tough game on September 23rd at Apex Friendship.
