The Freedom High School boy’s soccer team is at it again as another school year and yet another fall marks the start of the 2014 boy’s soccer season.

“We’re a young team and there’s a lot of potential we haven’t reached just yet and we’re in a lower section (single A) so I think we’re gonna do well,” Junior Vince Rose said. After losing many key seniors last year, some of the student body questioned how successful the team would be this year.

“There’s some tough teams but no one we can’t beat. The student body should support us because we work hard and plan to do great things this season,” Rose said.

A majority of the boy’s soccer team is underclassmen, with little varsity experience. The lack of experience however, has not stopped these athletes. “At practice we’ve really worked on communicating this year and doing drills that help us improve how good we play as a team,” Freshman Alex Wagner said. Over the summer, the boys spent their evenings at FHS conditioning and, eventually had to attend a soccer camp that lasted a week. Now that the season has started, on days the team doesn’t have a game, the boys put in time on the practice field to help keep them in top condition.

Despite beginning the season with back to back losses against Blackhawk and Sewickley Academy, the team was able to get a 9-0 win against Neshannock on Sept. 9. and gain their first shutout of the season. In a game against Quigley on Sept. 18 Senior Sam Sharpless blocked all 12 shots on goal to help secure another bulldogs win.

Later this season, the team will have another chance to take on Sewickley Academy, and hopefully gain the upperhand and win. “We want a big student section at all of our games ‘cause we’re going all the way,” Freshman Santino Guandolo said. In past years FHS school spirit has been practically nonexistent. However school spirit has been on the rise with fans coming out to support Boy’s soccer along with many of our other sports teams. “I feel like a decent amount of [boys’ soccer players] come out and support [the football team], so we should return the favor and show them some love,” Senior Brenton Harrison said.

With a 6-1 record so far this season, the chance of playoffs in the near future is becoming more and more likely. If the boy’s team makes it to the playoffs this year, they will be the first FHS team in 10 years to have back-to-back playoff appearances. The support of the student body could help for the team’s path to playoffs. Only time will tell how this season plays out.