RM boys’ soccer team made history this fall, finishing with a 10-3 record and securing their first-ever division championship. Their great season took them to the state finals, where they fell just short, losing 1-0 in a hard-fought battle to Montgomery Blair HS. Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Rockets left their mark on the program’s history.
“We made history,” senior Mathew Kuwik said. Kuwik, who led the team in goals, also earned All-County first and all-division honors. “Obviously, we wanted to win states and counties, but I think we accomplished a lot and achieved most of our goals,” Kuwik said. Despite the team’s heartbreaking loss in the state finals, the team didn’t let this loss ruin their feelings about the season. “Overall, I feel grateful and happy with our historic season,” senior Alexi Zavala said. Zavala, who also earned all-county honors and all-division honors, was a key piece in the Rockets midfield and one of the captains for the team.
The long journey to the state finals didn’t come without any challenges. The Rockets had to battle through injuries throughout the entire season, with several athletes playing through injuries. ”The biggest challenge we faced was having many injuries, but we found ways to prevail,” junior Felipe Zegarra said. Zegarra was the only junior given all-county second-team honors and was also awarded all-division honors. “The main challenge we faced was injuries because half our team was playing hurt,” sophomore Luca Reichling said. Reichling made varsity as a freshman this prior season and played an important role in the team’s success. The team showed tremendous resilience, not letting the injuries affect their play and pulling off an amazing season, one that they will remember forever.
Despite the challenges, the Rockets didn’t let up and maintained focus. They made history and reached new heights for the program. They battled for each other and set new standards for the program. With a roster full of veteran seniors and developing underclassmen, the team set high standards for future teams.
“Our goal for next season is to win the state championship and have a good time,” Zegarra said. Zegarra is one of the team’s key returning players and is hoping to not let the success end. “We want to win the state championship and prove to everyone that it wasn’t just a lucky run,” Reichling said.
Though the season didn’t end the way they wanted it to, the Rockets have cemented themselves in history and serve as an inspiration for future teams to follow. They set a new bar for what the program could achieve. Their journey this year showed what hard work, resilience, and teamwork can accomplish.
“I feel like it was a great season. We came short, but we’ll be back next year,” Zegarra said.
