The Carlmont freshman boys soccer team defeated Sequoia High School with a score of 3-2 in a league game on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Scots secured a triumphant victory by scoring a late goal in the match against the Ravens, resulting in their closest win of the season.
“Throughout practice this week, we were determined, focused, and didn’t slack off. Our coach reflected on our first game against them, guiding us in training to be successful,” said freshman Milad Ebadi.
The Ravens started the match strongly and hit the goal’s crossbar seconds into the game. After hard-fought battles in the opening stages, Scots freshman James Elliot was fouled in the penalty area. Moments later, Elliot scored the penalty kick by shooting the ball into the top left corner, giving the Scots a 1-0 lead.
Although the early goal gave the Scots momentum, the Ravens quickly equalized the score, evening out the match 1-1.
Both teams had multiple other scoring opportunities in the first half, but neither scored and the game remained 1-1 going into halftime. Having beaten the Ravens earlier in the season, the Scots were unhappy about their first-half performance.
“We’re playing sloppy, and the touches on the ball aren’t clean. We know the type of team we are and our potential, but we need to settle down and play our style,” said coach Hugh Plitt.
The second half started with the Scots putting more pressure on the Ravens. Freshman Nathan Gonzales received a pass behind the Raven defenders one minute in, leaving him with a scoring opportunity. Gonzales dribbled the ball past the goalkeeper and calmly scored, giving the Scots a 2-1 lead.
“The through ball passing by our whole team was awesome. Playing passes behind the defender lines allowed our wingers to take shots on goal and score,” Ebadi said.
After the early second-half goal, the Ravens put significant pressure on the Scots, forcing critical mistakes. They pushed the Scots to lose the ball multiple times in their half of the field. Later, the Ravens leveled the game by scoring a volley into the top corner.
Tension began to emerge as most of the second half remained a tie. The Scots and Ravens fought hard to win and keep possession of the ball. However, both teams committed multiple fouls.
With two minutes remaining in the match, freshman Noah Pang received a cross off of a free kick. He shot the ball just past the goalkeeper, giving the Scots a 3-2 lead.
Subsequently, the referee blew the final whistle, and the Scots won the game, keeping their undefeated status.
Although the Scots won the match, they will continue to try to improve through practice. Their ultimate goal is to win every game that they play, and they feel it is possible.
“We play our hardest in practice, which helps us overcome obstacles in the game. The key is not to change how we play for other teams and focus on our soccer style,” said freshman Ian Sijbrant.
