Lee Legends: Boys Soccer Competes in Regionals

Laura Galvis Diaz, Staff Writer

Boys Lancer soccer team is finishing the most successful season in years, competing for the regionals for first time in almost 27 years, despite facing some very complicated training games and losing the district title.

The Lancers started the season, losing their training games, rebounding to win all conference games. This winning streak continued throughout the season until the Wakefield semifinal game. Even when they tied in the match 1-1 and they played 4 extra times giving their best, the team could not avoid losing against the other team in penalties.

All Lancers are looking forward to the end of the season. Senior Jonathan Mulatu (forward) felt proud of what the team had accomplished, and he described how this new group of players worked together to become a stronger and better-organized team.

“I feel good about [the season]. We started playing pretty bad as we tried figuring out team chemistry, but we figured it out in conference plays, and that was good,” Mulatu said.

The game against Justice High School where the team won 3-0 this was an important point. Justice had remained undefeated so far until they played against Lee Lancers. Some players described the game as their favorite game.

“I feel like I gave my best in the [Justice] game, and we give the best of the team to keep the score,” captain Cristofer Ferrufino said.

Another important game was the game against Edison, Coach Millward described that game as one of the important games for his career because it was 14 years since they won a game. Coach Millward described this season as an awesome season, recognizing the hard work that the team is showing.

Players worked with their coaches and their captain (Cristofer Ferrufino) who always looks to focus on the game and support them at the game time.

“The responsibility of being a captain, is to lead the team, to respect the players, the coach, the other team and the referee. I also have to control and support my team when I’m on the field and correct them when they’re making a mistake,” Ferrufino said.

“The coaches push us; I want to be better, and I like that they are very humble. They give us bits of advice, they push us, they told us what we’re doing well and what we’re doing bad,” player Dennis Banegas said.

Junior Manuel Sauceda (Defense) feels this season like the best season in many years, and also he described the union of the team as one of his goals.

Coach Millward’s goal is putting the Lee team on the map and showing the others teams the potential of the team. Even when they lost the District title, losing the game against Wakefield, the team feels really hopeful about the Regional title.