THE ECHO

Editor-in-Chief // Ella Staton • Illustration by Zoe Smyth

A group of smiling high school athletes stand together after winning their game; the lights illuminate their vibrant facial expressions. After moments of embracing and congratulating, they being singing the nostalgic lyrics of Wonderwall.

After an early end to last year’s season, the Avon Boys Varsity Soccer team is ready to claim what they have been training for. After months of sweat and work in the summer heat, the boys want their name to be ones that are remembered this fall. What will it take for them to create their name and let it rise above?

Senior Isaiah Lanning has been playing soccer for 14 years of his life. He has played on the soccer team for all four years of his high school career, and three of the years have been on varsity.

“This year is going to be very different for us. We want to do big things, but we are going to have to work the hardest we have ever had,” Lanning said.

This year the boys want to earn the HCC conference title. Although, they know that their chance of winning relies on the comrade and culture of their team.

“We want the conference title, that’s our first goal,” Lanning said. “But in order to win, we need to have the strongest team we have ever had, and not just in the physical sense. We need to trust each other and continue to get to know our family.”

The first step to winning the conference title is to beat their biggest rival, the team to the north, Brownsburg. After a tough loss of 0-7 last year, the team knows they have worked all summer to be able to beat the rival bulldogs.

“Last year our game versus Brownsburg was humbling. We are not going to let that game define us though. This year we are stronger and better, every person on our team has grown,” Lanning said.

The team will make sure their name is known; they will do this by winning the sectional game. Ben Davis has always been their biggest competitor in the sectional, although it is not certain that Ben Davis will be able to claim a victory so easily.

“We lost to Ben Davis last year; this lost us the chance to win the sectional title. But, when we played them this year, we tied 1-1,” Lanning said. ” This not only has to do with our varsity members playing with more experience, but we have a ton of new members who are making a huge impact on the team.”

Junior Jordan Casillas has played soccer for all three years of his high school career, with this year being his first on varsity. Casillas said he feels like the team is closer than it has ever been before.

“The mentality on our team has changed the most and the standards we hold each other to,” Casillas said. “This is because we are thinking and acting more like a family.”

Casillas said that the new level of companionship and lots of hard work will be the key to the team meeting their goals.

“I have a really strong feeling we’ll take the bell back from Brownsburg, show the team what we’ve become and how much we’ve changed from last year,” Casillas said. “I believe we can finish in the top half of our conference and stay undefeated in the regular season.”

Every game holds importance to the team, but October 31st is the day marked on the calendar of each boy, the state championship.

“I think we have a strong chance to make it to the October 31st game, aka, state championships. This day is the day we wait for all season long,” Casillas said.

The boys have made their goals for the season very clear; they want to grow as a team and make this year’s team one to remember. Their eagerness to excel and companionship can be seen both on and off the field.

“We celebrate as a team together after every goal; and after every game we sing Wonderwall by Oasis, just like how England did in the world cup,” Casillas said. “I’m excited to see how far we go this year and to show everyone who we are.”