The boys soccer team season was somewhat overshadowed by the successes of other fall season teams in Verona. The boys soccer team’s record this season was 5-9-4. They finished fifth in their conference and were able to make it to the first round of counties and win the preliminary round.

A season highlight was taking West Orange, a team ranked in the top 20 in the state, to double overtime. Senior captain Grady Short stated, “Our game against West Orange was very crucial this season. We had lost 5-0 a week before to them, so this was a huge accomplishment and this boosted our confidence going into the postseason.”

Despite an overall losing record, the team kept many matches low scoring and most games very close.  

They also came together in a different way when it really mattered the most.  Grady describes it this way:

“Our coaches told us before every game against the larger teams that it doesn’t matter what their rank is, or what their record   What mattered was our teammates and ourselves. This made us want to work harder and prove that just because we were from a small town doesn’t mean that we didn’t have a lot of talent and ability. Even in some losing efforts the opposing coaches told us that they hadn’t played a team like us all season. “

The team’s ability to build chemistry over the summer and during the preseason, and to  improve with every practice and scrimmage made their season a success whatever their record showed.