Experienced soccer team hopes for success through teamwork

Last year, the Blaine boys varsity soccer slipped into the postseason for the first time since becoming a 2A school, and that created excitement that is still palpable, head coach Gio Quesada said.

“You can tell how the kids feel,” he said. “These kids are dreaming again of the postseason.”

Before falling to Cedarcrest 3–0 in a loser-out playoff game, last year’s Borderites earned a 5–10 overall record.

This year’s team has a lot of experience – about 80 percent played varsity last year. Senior team captains Ethan Wilkett, Alieu Diaw and Nicholas Wheaton all have multiple years of varsity experience. Senior goalkeeper Anthony Persse will also be a key player, Quesada said.

“The keeper is one position you absolutely need,” he said. “The team feels they can do their job because Anthony does his job.”

Still, Quesada said others in the league have more players on club teams; although Blaine’s team might have less experience, Quesada continues to teach a tactical approach that involves players staying in formation on the field, a uniform style of attacking and defending and guidelines for which defender should attack the ball and where to channel the offense.

It’s a technique used by more advanced teams and it requires discipline, something Quesada said this team has over last year’s team.

To make it back to the playoffs, they’ll need to exercise that discipline and play like a team, Quesada said.

“Last year the team made it to the postseason because they worked together,” he said. “I think this year the team has the potential to do that again.”