By Reagan Pearson, Staff Writer
Since last November, the Nighthawks have been looking forward to this season and their attempt to reach the state championship game for a second straight year. Tonight’s game against Currituck will be a bittersweet one as it marks the end of the senior soccer players’ careers at First Flight — at least as far as the regular season is concerned.
“I am going to miss them after coaching them for four years,” coach Juan Ramirez said. “They are intelligent and hard workers — a special group of young men.”
Since the first game in August, the air has been filled with excitement and the sounds of “Over here, pass the ball!” as the players set their eyes on winning a second straight state championship. After going undefeated last year, the Nighthawks have suffered just one defeat this season, a nail-biting 1-0 decision against Norfolk Collegiate.
“It was really frustrating, but it was kinda early in the season, so we can always work,” senior Quinn Douglas said. “It kinda tells us that we’re not invincible so anything can happen, just work.”
At this point in the season, there are skills that have improved and parts of the game the Nighthawks still need to work on as they prepare for the playoffs.
“I think we’re a lot better friends this year. We all get along well,” Douglas said. “To prepare for the playoffs, we are just training really hard. Everyone is going as hard as they can in practice, 100 percent.”
In fact, the season didn’t just start a couple of weeks ago, but rather a few months ago.
¨(We have) prepared with preseason team camps, film reviews and conditioning,¨ Ramirez said.
Ramirez believes that the seniors on the team possess great leadership. Vega Sproul is one of the varsity team captains this season and will be honored along with Crewe and Quinn Douglas, Mast Lige and Noah Turbitt at tonight’s ceremony.
¨It is strange playing as a senior,¨ Sproul said. ¨It’s cool having that authority and all, but the fact that I’ll be done with high school soccer is not so cool.¨
Sproul is determined to help make the team the best it can possibly be and of course reclaim the title of state champions. While Sproul is sad that this will be his last season, he has no worries about the future of the team, as he has plenty of confidence in the freshman class.
¨My brother Jude (Sproul), and Tanner (Bouker) are fitting into the team well, and it is fun watching them develop. Jude, especially, because he is my brother and all,” Sproul said.
The future is not only bright for the freshman class, but also for the next generation of seniors — the juniors — including Trent Powell, Cane Lige, Charlie Kitchin, Lawson Eldridge, Wilmer Andino, Carlos Aguilar and Wade Denzin. Denzin has been preparing for this season since early June.
¨I prepared for the soccer season by attending the open summer workouts every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday,¨ Denzin said. ¨They really helped me and my teammates get in shape and ready for the season.¨
Much like Sproul, Denzin also has a lot of faith in the freshmen.
¨Normally before our home games, the team will go out and eat after school and if the JV team has a game we will go and cheer them on,¨ Denzin said. ¨The freshmen that joined the team this year are talented and I can’t wait to see them progress as players.¨
Sophie Johnson contributed to this report. Junior Reagan Pearson can be reached at pearsonre0213@daretolearn.org.
