Alive and kickin’

Boys’ soccer team continues to strive with playoffs in near future

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As the regular soccer season comes to an end, the boys’ soccer team is preparing for the playoffs. Through many hours of training and late nights of practicing, the soccer team has grown through the years and has made it to a winning position. This season, the team has recorded ten wins, four losses and one tie.

This is the fourth year the Freedom boys’ soccer team has made playoffs. Senior Joey Pail has been playing on the team for all of his high school career.

“Making playoffs is second nature to most of us on the team. Jordan [Herzog] and I really understand that, as we have been here all of our high school careers. We, as a team, work our hardest every game; playoffs just seem natural. It is, however, frustrating because it seems we suffer a loss during the first round of playoffs,” Pail said.

Sophomore Carson Gilarno, who plays striker on the field, comments on what the team has done differently this season.

“We have done a few things different this year. We have done a lot more running during our training and practices. We’re trying to get a high seed in the playoffs. It is our goal not to suffer a loss in the first round of playoffs, like the last three years,” said Gilarno.

Sophomore Jon Kaercher, who plays on the field as stopper, shared, “We have been in the best shape this year than in any of the past years. It, personally, makes me feel like we’ve accomplished great things securing a playoff position for the past three years and is now going on for the fourth year. Hopefully, we work together as a team and strive far into the playoffs like I hope we will,” Kaercher said.

Making the playoffs proves that the soccer games and season have been going well for the team. The team is scoring many more points than the team is letting in. Most of the wins this season were shutouts.

Before playoffs commences, the soccer team became their section runner ups for the 2016 year. After a home loss and an away loss to Sewickley Academy, the boys’ soccer team has secured second place.

On Oct. 10, the boys won their game against Beaver County Christian School with a score of 2-1.

Also they played a game on Oct. 13, against Quigley with another win with a score of 5-0.

Most players suspect that the starting lineup for playoffs will be similar, if not identical, to the regular game lineup. Coverage will continue as the boys continue to the playoffs.