Boys soccer wraps up season with heads held high

By Catherine Hansen ’25

With spring around the corner, the 2022-2023 boys soccer season came to a close.

Throughout the season, both JV and Varsity teams were tested by challenging opponents. The Varsity team did not have much success this season with a record of 0-15-1, but in the face of loss, their pride and spirit for soccer shined through.

During the season, the players were able to build a foundation and come together as a team.

According to Seamus Lucey, Assistant coach for both JV and Varsity, the team has stayed strong and continued to progress throughout the season.

“I mean it’s tough when you’re down 6-0 in the first half and you’re just like ‘What do I say to these guys?’ But they’ve got a good attitude, they keep working and they never give up,” he said.

The tough losses this season did not lack experience. The obstacles faced and the growth of the team made an impact outside of the sport and in the school community. “I’m in the RSP Department so

I only deal with RSP kids so it’s cool expanding the school and seeing them walk around in class like ‘Hey coach’ so that’s another dimension outside of the actual soccer field.”

The JV team had a successful run during the offseason with a 4-1-1 record, and they ended with a 11-7-3 record in their league. Noah Latterman ’25 said, “We’ve gotten more chemistry and we want to win more.”

The JV boys surpassed last year’s overall record of 2-14-3. Despite that, the team is far from finished in regards to improvements.

“We have a lot more progress to make if we want to be a good team but we are on the way,’’ said JV member Alton Thoroughgood ’25. This season, both teams exhibited fighting spirit as they powered through on and off the field.

“Seeing the JV and seeing varsity play makes me really proud of how far they’ve come and how much work they’ve put in,” said Lucey. “They just never give up. They are a good group of guys, there are no egos, everyone works for the team.”

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’25, Sandra Halverson ’23, and Fredrica Michalchuk ’26.

Numerous people have been impacted by wrestling, including Andrea Aguilar, Halverson, and Coach Schindler.

Archbishop Riordan High School is a community where strong bonds are made. Coach Schindler said, “My whole family went to Sacred Heart but I wanted to go to Riordan. Sacred Heart was my home but I always had my eye on Riordan.”

Many consider wrestling to be the hardest sport because it requires a combination of physical strength, speed, and mental toughness. In the aspect of physical and mental demand, the workouts surpass all the other sports. However, the difficulty of the sport doesn’t stop a person but encourages them to continue.

Halverson said, “I love wrestling because of how rewarding the hard work is. Practices are tough and it’s constant cardio but it’s so rewarding once you get on the mat and see that your hard work is paying off.”

Despite the challenge it has, wrestling brings people closer together as a family and impacts many lives.

Andrea Aguilar ’24 started wrestling her second year of high school and has continued to compete ever since.

She said, “My brother and his team motivated me to join the wrestling program because I saw how close and caring everyone was to each other.”

Aguilar added, “I see myself wrestling next year because it helped me be more confident talking to new people and making new friends. But most importantly, I’ll be someone who people can look up to and make them want to give wrestling their all.”

Some people are intimidated to start a sport like wrestling because of how intense it is. However, wrestling is a sport that can be taught when entering the program.

Halverson said, “You need to know how to play volleyball, and basketball to be able to be on the team, but for wrestling I was able to join the team without knowing a single thing.”

Wrestling opens a whole new world that they never knew could happen. Halverson stated, “My only regret about wrestling is not joining earlier.”