Underneath the shining lights of Jackman Field, the boys soccer players had their sights set. Playing against Northridge Preparatory School at the start of the season, the team was controlling the game, feeling strong.
But the tide soon changed. First it was one missed penalty kick. Then it was losing a few scoring chances. A tying goal from the opposition sent the game into overtime, and Northridge soon scored yet another.
The clock ran out, and the scoreboard showed a 2-1 loss. U-High players walked quietly off the field, disappointed. At this moment the seniors on the team knew something had to change.
This game represented all of the adversity the team had faced in the beginning of its season: a constant uphill battle driven by small mistakes and mental errors. Despite this rough start, the team made a comeback, becoming just the second team in U-High soccer history to win sectionals and make it to the super-sectional round, ending the season on Oct. 28.
“We didn’t start off too well. After that first game, it was just a consistent stream of losses,” forward Alula Teklu, a senior, said. “Our identity as a team was still very ambiguous.”
Alula said this struggle persisted through the first five weeks of the season, and little seemed to improve. He said a win was constantly followed by several losses.
Erik Linquist, one of the team’s three captains, said he found that soccer was not about winning.
“I myself had to find a different purpose to showing up to practice everyday, being with the people I really like, and just playing the game I like, not necessarily winning.”
Something clicked. Partway through the season, after a conversation with the coaches, the seniors established a new mission and purpose for the team. Erik said this was sparked by the impact they wanted to have on the greater team.
“This is our last season — we had to make a mark,” Erik said. “It was always like, this could be our last practice. This could be our last game. We’ve got to extend the season. That kind of hunger of just being together and being a family just kept us going.”
After losing the homecoming game against Lake Forest Academy on Sept. 22, the players persisted, determined to finish the season strong.
“I said, ‘We have four games left in the regular season. We need to win three out of the next four games,” Coach Josh Potter said about the team’s chances to qualify for the postseason.
They did exactly that: first a win against Francis W. Parker School, another win to North Shore Country Day, a draw with Latin School of Chicago and a win against North Ridge.
Mr. Potter said these games instilled in the players a sense of understanding of their own skill.
“I think that momentum and that belief really carried us into the playoffs,” Mr. Potter said.
The team continued their winning streak at the biggest game of the season: the IHSA Sectional Semi-Finals on Oct. 20 against Chicago Hope Academy, the state’s No. 1 ranked team in the 1A division. It was a close game; many close calls and risky plays dictated the second half.
“I think it is no stretch to say they were a higher quality team than us,” Alula said, “but when it really came down to it, we were the side that wanted it more.”
A week after, the team headed into the sectional final against Victoria Soto High as the underdogs and won. The season ended the following week in a 2-0 loss in the IHSA super-sectional game against North Shore Country Day on Oct. 28. The overall season record was 10 wins, 9 losses and 3 ties.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter going into the playoffs how the beginning of the season was,” Erik said. “I wouldn’t change anything in terms of what we won or our record or anything like that.”
One thing that never wavered was the bond between players. Mr. Potter believes their ability to fight back each day was due to their leadership and heart within the greater team.
Mr. Potter said, “They enjoy each other. That’s what brought them together every single day. In our sport, you can’t just have one person buy in. Every single one of them has to show up.”
