Ishaan Abhyankar

Head coach Ryan Freeman makes numerous halftime adjustments to prepare for the second half. Freeman talked to the team about where to pass the ball and the intensity that he wanted.

Carlmont’s varsity boys soccer team defeated the Lincoln Lions 1-0 in their first tournament game of the season.

The Scots showed pride and confidence as they were neck and neck with the Lions throughout the game.

“We excelled all around, defensively, in the midfield, and the attack. We were confident and dominated them,” said junior Calvin Wooll, a team captain.

The game started with a transitional run by senior Kotaro Kikuchi, resulting in a shot on target. 

The Scots maintained possession for the first 10 minutes of the game and moved the ball quickly, creating many opportunities. 

The first half closed with the Scots even with the Lions at 0-0. At halftime, Head Coach Ryan Freeman made adjustments to help them compete.

“We’ve dominated the game and done a good job blocking the switch,” Freeman said.

The Scots pushed the pace in the second half, gradually wearing down the Lions. Freeman made numerous substitutions to avoid fatigue. 

Later in the second half, an outside back passed the ball over the top of the defense to junior Donovan Dooley. He skillfully bounced it off his chest to find Kikuchi for the goal.

“I saw the ball coming into my chest. Kotaro (Kikuchi) was in front of me, so I just tried to pop it up to him, giving him an assist,” Dooley said.

After Kikuchi’s goal, the Scots asserted their dominance in the game. Freeman and his staff urged the team to work hard, play physically, and not let their guard down. Despite a few close calls, the Scots successfully kept the ball out of their net for a 1-0 victory.

“We did well controlling the ball in the middle and building out from the back. We had some great chances, and our team showed confidence,” sophomore Xavier Grussing said.

Despite the win, the Scots are eager to move forward with the season, setting up new goals and expectations. Looking into the future, Grussing discusses some of the team’s aspirations.

“Our goal is to expand offensively and win the league because I know we have an excellent team and players,” Grussing said.

As the Scots move on to their next game, they are eager to win more and build stronger connections among the team. 

“Because of our level of play and commitment that we showed today, I believe we are on the right track to continue Carlmont’s reputation as a top-level contender for CCS and hopefully win the league this year,” sophomore William Stanton said.