After a few months of break, the boys are back to practice, improve, and win.
As soon as their cleats are laced and shin guards put on, the Barstow boys soccer team gets on the starting line to warm up. First, they jog across the field, before breaking into a full set of high kicks going the other way. Practices aren’t strictly business, though. The boys constantly rag on each other, making jokes, slapping each other’s shoulders, and chasing each other across the field.
“This year, the team is like a family: close-knit and incredibly friendly. This attitude can be seen when they play, as well as off the field,” says Izzy Parr ‘24, Boys Soccer Manager.
This year, boys soccer has a lot to prove. As former captains Max Parr ‘22 and Vikas Maganti ‘22 graduated, the boys face the challenge of replacing most of their midfield line and filling in other holes left by departures, such as Amrit Sian’s ‘22 place.
George Colombo ‘23, Ian Koepp ‘23, Andrew Lang ‘23, and Tyler McNeive ‘24 are this year’s soccer captains, leading with both seniority and skill during practice and on the field. Last year, captains Parr and Maganti did not give sentimental speeches or motivational tidbits during gameplay, but instead led by example, using their seniority to connect lower and upperclassmen and create a strong relationship between the players.
This year’s captains hope to do the same, something that they are already excelling at.
According to junior Pierce Farinelli ‘24, “the relationships between the players are a lot better this year because everyone is nice to each other.” The boys often go on small trips together, the most recent one to Big Biscuit for breakfast. Farinelli explains that, “even just going to breakfast together can drastically help team morale and chemistry because it’s not healthy to only see each other in high pressure or focused situations.”
The captains, of course, are not the only players on the team. The full boys soccer roster consists of 8 seniors, a multitude of junior players, as well as a few sophomores like Carson Matula ‘25 and Cale Williams ‘25. The freshmen also account for a significant part of the team, with four new players.
Farinelli says that, ”While we don’t have a ton of freshmen this year, the ones that we do have seem very enthusiastic about playing soccer.”
In addition to leadership from the captains, the boys team would not function without the help of team managers, Izzy Parr ‘24, Lasya Maganti ‘24, and Kiley Bourke ‘24. All three of the managers also play girls soccer in the spring, bringing a unique perspective to the team.
Managers mostly help Coach Scott Huppe with tasks that would take them an abnormally long time otherwise. They also design team jerseys and warm ups, take photos during games, learn common drills, and set up practice. The managers also run the soccer instagram account, @stow.soccer, a joint girls/boys soccer account (that was noticed by Australian singer/songwriter, Lorde).
Maganti says that, “we help the players get ready for the season, by supporting them in whatever way we can.”
While Parr takes a role on the sidelines to take pictures and help Coach Huppe, Maganti is often seen playing with the boys, using her time to improve her own skills on the field.
Of course, we couldn’t talk about the soccer team without mentioning Mr. “Refry your own beans” himself, Coach Scott Huppe. Coach Huppe has had a host of experience playing soccer himself, as a player for the Lafayette Swamp Cats and the KC Attack. Additionally, he led the boys teams in 2014 and 2018 to State victories, and various other district, quarterfinals, and final four appearances.
As for coaching, Huppe continues to give both team and individual advice, teaching the players new formations, attack positions, and strategies to make them successful. During scrimmages, Huppe will often stop gameplay for a few seconds to explain new plays, and will give players individual criticism as well.
Logistically, Coach Huppe also organizes the game times and locations. This year, the boys play mostly at home, with a few away games at Blue Valley Northwest, Summit Christian Academy, and Van Horn.
Assistant Coaches Don Bandera and Andrew Lentell also help the team during practices, running drills with small groups of players while Huppe is busy. Another common face is Cayden Williams ‘18, a captain on the state-winning 2018 team. Williams often plays with the boys, even recruiting his former teammates to play with the boys while they visit home during the summer.
Highly anticipated matchups this year include games against Bishop Meige, Blue Valley North, and Summit Christian (one of Barstow’s rivals), all games that the team agrees could have gone better in past years. For example, the team lost against Bishop Miege 0-6 in a starting match last year.
Farinelli explains that he is most excited for the “Harvest Festival game, because we have the most fans, and kids from middle, lower, and upper all come to watch. The vibes are just all around good.”
Overall, the Barstow student section turnout has been incredibly low in past few years, save for a few games like Harvest Festival. A few reasons for this could be lackluster school spirit, a phenomenon seen throughout Barstow athletics, but highlighted especially post-COVID.
To curb this, Kariessentes Club and Pep Club are organizing ‘games of the week,’ a selected few home games that have themes. All students are encouraged to go and support the boys, as Farinelli says that a large crowd means that, “we usually play better after seeing the support.”
The boys’ first game is on August 26th against St. Pius, at Barstow. I hope to see everyone there and wish the boys the best of luck this season!
