The ILS Boys Soccer team had their first game of the season this against Downtown Doral Academy. It was an away game that finished with the Royal Lions beating Doral Academy 3-1. This is a great start to their season, and hopefully, a good sign of what’s yet to come.

Here’s what the team had to say about their win:

“It feels great being the first win of the season and I think this game shows that when we put in the effort, we can do anything,” said senior Franco Schena, who plays left bench.

“It gives us confidence for the rest of the season and we have Gulliver on Friday. We are going in strong and this game gave us a confidence boost,” said junior Nico Ortiz who plays right wing.

The highlights of the game were the underclass men who scored the goals with assists from upperclassmen, which shows the level of cohesion of the team and the result of the long hours they put on the practice field. This was a bittersweet moment for the seniors as it was their last first game of the season, but they won’t let it get them down as they’ll continue to play their hearts out.

Head coach Richard Jobson led the team on the field and pushes them in practice, but one thing he does compared to other coaches is that he sits and eats lunch with the team. This builds a rapport with the players and brings the team together like a large family which is one of the things that makes sports at ILS so special, the sense of togetherness and family.

So, let’s cheer on the Varsity and JV teams as they start down the path to the District Championship.