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Midseason Update on Boys SoccerBy Peter Moon '13, Staff Writer and Squad Reporter |
The Kent boys varsity soccer team has been playing hard in the hopes of earning a top seed and securing a place in the New England Class A Championship game. With trips to the championships the past two years, the team has high aspirations to make it the third time in a row. With a record of 6 wins and 4 losses, Kent is looking forward to winning the majority if not all the games that are left in the season.
Last year, Kent was defeated only three times in the entire season – twice during the regular season, and once in the Championship finals against Northfield Mount Hermon School (3-2). Last year's team set a very high precedent that serves as a bar for future teams to overcome.
This year's team had an excellent start, but they did take a couple of early knocks, some of which, such as the Millbrook and South Kent games, had extremely close results. However, the team needs time, inspiration, and teamwork to fully mature into its final form. As time progresses, Kent will surely find stability and recover from its past losses. Captain Inigo Bland '12 stated, "We need to perform under pressure. We have a lot of young guys contributing to the team, and that's good. Our team will mature as we learn more from each other."
Right now, Kent has seven games left before the season ends. The team may or may not qualify for the Class A Championship game depending on the results of the Class A matches upcoming this season with Hotchkiss, Taft, Avon, and Hopkins, which are all experienced teams that have a reputation for competitiveness. Winning all of the games is an achievable goal for this squad, though. Coach Booth stresses the need to be strong and to play with guts. It's only the half-time, after all, and Kent's dream of ending the season on a high note is well within their grasp.
