The gloomy clouds looming over Carlmont High School on Feb. 13th set the tone for the last game of the season for JV boys soccer. Carlmont was playing the Aragon Dons with a record of three wins, one loss and one tie in the league. As the points stood, Carlmont was in first place with 30 points, ahead by just one point.
In order to win the league title, Carlmont needed to beat Aragon or Sequoia needed to lose their game.
But the gloom prevailed that Wednesday. The Scots lost against the Dons. It seemed like their hopes at winning league was dashed. After the game, the Carlmont players walked across the field and up the bleachers to go to the team room in complete silence.
“Everyone sat down on the chairs and most people were very upset there was basically no sound for five minutes other than some people crying,” said Joshua Stattenfield, a sophomore.
But what was unknown at the time was that Sequoia had also lost their game. Carlmont was still ahead by one point in league standings.
“Ryan, our coach, walked into the main room and he just blatantly (told us) we won league. He turned up the music full blast and everyone was just surprised and started screaming and hugging,” Stattenfield said.
The team had played well throughout the season, and part of that credit is due to the team building efforts of coach Ryan Freeman.
“I do my best to get to know every single player on an individual basis. That’s asking about their day, just getting to know them. Putting in that extra time there are 25 guys on the JV roster. 15 on the freshman team roster. That’s a lot of guys, but I’m willing to put in that extra time because I know it makes a difference,” said coach Freeman.
There have also been shortcomings where the team has had many comebacks throughout the season.
“To be honest, in those moments during games where it wasn’t our day or calls weren’t going our way came, we together and found a way to score,” said coach Freeman.
The game might not have been the best, and the boys certainly walked into their locker room thinking it was all over, but just as coach Freeman said, they came together when things looked darkest and Carlmont won the league.
“We’re excited because last year we tied for second. But this year we finally were able to beat the champions and win the league,” said Juan Benavides, a sophomore.
It wasn’t quite how they were expecting it to go, but a win is a win.
“Today was really a struggle. We gave it all we had in the last minutes, but in the end it came out great,” Benavides said.
