BY OLIVIA LEWIS
The boys varsity soccer team faced up against the Everglades High School Gators on Monday, November 20. With the game being their fourth of the season, they were determined to win and better their statistics. The game went back and forth for the entire 80 minutes; however, the Gators pulled through and won by one goal. The score was left at 2-3, making the Cowboys 1-0-3 overall.
The first half started off strong, with each team going at it from the first whistle. The Cowboys gained possession of the ball and quickly moved it around. They passed through the Gator’s midfield and eventually through their defense. The forwards took crosses, trying to land the ball at their teammates feet. Cooper City took numerous shots, but none of them had made it to the back of the net. The Gators eventually picked up their game and began passing it around the Cowboys. They then made it towards the Cowboy’s defense and started taking shots. Each team was playing aggressive, fighting for every 50/50 ball there was. Cooper City were in the final third of the field once again, and were extremely determined to score a goal. With their hard work, senior Esteban Forero was able to take a hard shot, making the score 1-0. The Gators grabbed the ball out of the net and ran it to the middle of the field, ready to resume play. They were not going to let one goal stop them, quickly tying the game up. The game started to get very physical, with both teams getting numerous fouls. The Gators began to get into the Cowboys team’s head, capitalizing off of their mistakes. Before the half ended, Everglades made it past the Cowboys’ defense, scoring again and making the score 2-1.
“So far, I believe the team is built well and we have the skill to perform at a higher level than last year, we just need to be able to work as a team,” senior Greg Satinover said. “I also believe we will do good this season as we continue to improve day in and day out.”
The whistle blew for the second half to start, and both teams were after the ball. The Gators had begun dominating the game by moving the ball all around the field. The Cowboys tried to hold their ground as long as they could until the Gators managed to put a ball through to the forwards. An Everglades forward was able to put a hard shot on goal, making the score 3-1. The Cowboys grabbed the ball out of the goal and it ran it back up. Although the Cowboys were down by two points, they did not give up. Cooper City went all in and started passing balls to the center forward, Michael Hebding, and as Hebding finally received a good pass, taking a shot. He hit it right past the goalie, making the score 3-2. The game was close, keeping everyone on their toes. The Cowboys gave all their effort, but were unable to score another goal. The center defenders locked down and refused to let any Everglades players past them. The final whistle blew, with the Gators taking home the win.
The Cowboys look forward to coming back and winning more games. Their next game will be on November 29 at CCHS.
Final score: Cooper City 2, Everglades 3
Photo by Benjamin Milgram
