Marguerite Alberts, staff writer
After a slow start to the preseason, the boys varsity soccer team has turned their record around when they beat El Segundo on Tuesday Dec. 11 making their record 2-3-2.
“Today was definitely a pick-me-up and hopefully will have a positive impact in our future games,” co-captain Elijah Lichtenberg said.
The preseason has been more difficult when compared to previous years. The team blames their slow start on lack of team chemistry, but has been trying to change that.

“Every year you are given a different set of players who need to be put in different positions,” Lichtenberg said. “Sometimes [it is] quicker to form a team together and sometimes it takes a bit longer.”

In the past two weeks, the team has had three games a week, causing the players to tire quickly, resulting in inconsistent practices.

“Some days we will have great practices with high intensity and other days we slack off,” co-captain Josh Horowitz said.

The team has also had to overcome the injury of their sweeper, Golan Khorshidi, who should be returning in the next two weeks. In his stead, Junior Roman Zaragoza has taken his place until Khorshidi returns. Zaragoza was on varsity last year, but this is his first time in the position of sweeper.

Both captains agree that Zaragoza has been doing really well in his new position.

Besides the overall relationships among the team, there are still areas that need improvement.

“We need to work on our discipline and focus,” Horowitz said.

Despite all of these obstacles causing a difficult start to the preseason, Horowitz and Lichtenberg are optimistic about the rest of the preseason and the official season.

“We have found a formation that suits our strengths and our chemistry is really starting to improve,” Horowitz said.

Both captains believe that their team has the capacity to continue to improve and possibly make it to receive an Ocean League Championship. The team will play Mira Costa on Friday, Dec. 14. The official season begins on Jan. 9.