With a bit of the season left to go, KO boys varsity soccer looks to finish the season off strong, and are currently fighting for a playoff spot.
The Wyverns are sitting at a record of 4-4-3 right now. With a big win against Hotchkiss School, and victory over Pomfret School on Hewett Day.
New Head Coach Richard Shaw is satisfied with how the season has gone so far. “The boys play hard every game, and compete, which is great to see,” he said. Coach Shaw has enjoyed being a new head coach. “I love getting this opportunity to be the coach of KO varsity soccer,” Coach Shaw said. “It’s a privilege to do this, and I have enjoyed every second of it.”
One of the biggest wins this season came against Hotchkiss school where senior captain right midfielder Jack Neikrie scored a late goal to win the game 1-0. “My favorite moment was scoring the go ahead goal in the final minute against Hotchkiss,” Neikrie said. “[We] beat them for the first time in 40 years.”
Another one of KO’s biggest wins came on Hewett Day against Pomfret. It was a close game and both teams fought hard. It was a defensive battle, but KO came away winning 2-1, with goals from juniors Corey Nguyen and Pratt Blair.
Neikrie has enjoyed the privilege of being a captain. “It’s great to be able to lead your peers,” Neikrie said, “but with it comes responsibilities such as making sure everybody is focused and making sure everyone is working hard on and off the soccer field.”
Senior center midfielder Alex Oliveira has enjoyed being a leader as a veteran player and someone people can look up to. “It feels good knowing people look up to me as a role model,” Oliveira said. “Although I’m not a captain, I feel I am a leader, and try to push the guys to play their hardest.”
The team is a tight knit group. “Team camaraderie is good,” Neikirie said, “we have a tight group and we get along very well.”
With about a month left in the season, Coach Shaw has simple expectations for the rest of the season. “I expect the boys to keep playing hard and competing,” Coach Shaw said. “I expect to win some games and finish the season off strong.”
As fall sports are winding down, look for KO boys varsity soccer to improve steadily and compete well. They will play hard until the final whistle, and try to accomplish their goals. Their upcoming games are against Choate Rosemary and Avon Old Farms school.
