“I have to admit at the beginning I had my doubts, but the younger guys have really been stepping it up,” Senior Captain Jacob Niedergall said. Hands down, the Freedom boys’ soccer team is off to a great start winning seven of their 10 section games and tying one. “When you can go into every game, knowing you can or should get the win, that’s always a positive,” Junior Nate Fleming said. Some games are so easily handled for the team, where others are nowhere near that. The boys came out on top Sept. 27, by beating Mohawk 4-3 in overtime. Junior Justin Boehmer scored the goal that sent the team into overtime with only nine seconds left. “I felt [like] the spotlight was on me and I was just thinking about beating Mohawk,” Junior Justin Boehmer said. This win bumped the team up to second place in their section, the first place team being Neshannock. The team has increased their work ethic this season. They began conditioning in April, running approximately 2.2 miles and lifting daily. They had also had weekly practices in January, where they would have scrimmages and lift. In August, the boys turned it up a notch; the practices had increased in time and intensity. One week towards the end of this month, they practiced for six hours each day. With a mindset of making it to playoffs, the boys are taking all the right paths. Because there are only two games left in the section, and both are normally easy wins for the boys, playoffs are within their grasps. “[I am] confident that we will make it,” Junior Goalie Matthew VanDeCar said. “We will at least go to the first round, I am sure,” Senior Captain Collin Allego said. Some of the team’s success may also be credited to their dedicated coaches, Bill Smith and Ryan Smith. “They know how to build a winning team and pump us up for any game.,” Sophomore Matt Pavlick said. “They are key components to our success.”