For the first time in five years, the Antioch Community High School boys soccer team opened the season with a win, defeating Wilmot Union High School 4-0 on Aug. 28. The Sequoits, who have struggled out of the gate in recent seasons, found themselves on the winning side of the opener. This opener came against a team that was more on their level, which led to the success.
The win mattered not just for the standings but also for the confidence of the players, who had been looking to achieve success early in the season. Junior goalkeeper Matthew Miller said the victory gave the team a lift and confidence for the upcoming season.
“Junior goalkeeper Matthew Miller, who made crucial saves during the match, said the victory was a much-needed boost for the team. ‘It feels pretty good from a team like we are, and it makes everyone, like, a little bit more confident,’ Miller said.”
Senior Captain Max Mehring noticed that the start of the season had already changed the outlook inside the program. “I think it’s a good start to the season, and I think just building off the 1-0 start really just gives us all confidence going into these next games,” Mehring said.
Confidence was only part of the strong start. Miller said this opener felt different from years past because of the matchup, and the team’s energy came together at just the right time.
“It was a team more of our level, and everyone came out really strong and hyped for the game,” Miller said.
That energy was fueled by work that went in during the offseason. The Sequoits emphasized staying ready, both on and off the field, and entered the season sharper. For comparison, sophomore Liam Hill matched his goal total from last season in the first game with three.
“I think it was just our work ethic going into the season,” Mehring said. “I think the fact that [the team] were all working hard in the off-season, making sure we were all putting in the time at camp, tryouts, even going to the fields on our own, definitely helped.”
