By Ben Rihn ’22 News Reporter
The 2019 Blue Storm boys varsity soccer team has had another successful season, under the leadership of coaches Carl Stensland and Tom Rahauser, and captains Mason Davis ’20, Sean Fiscus ’20, and Diego Morgan ’20. In exciting and impressive fashion, the greatest displays of the group’s outcomes were the recent comeback wins against Mid-Atlantic Prep League rival Blair Academy and Inter-Academic League power Malvern Prep. While Mercersburg faced serious adversity after falling behind, they fought back with impressive determination which ultimately granted them a 4-2 win over Blair and a thrilling 2-2 (4-3) shootout win against Malvern.
Throughout the season, each member of the team has displayed a tremendous work ethic, changing the outcomes of several games. When asked about his team’s success this season, Stensland attributes most of it to the players. “The group of guys are all willing to buy in and play hard for one another,” complimented Stensland. “They’ve done a good job of staying focused and keeping their energy high all season.”
Late in the season, motivation comes by reminding the team of their goals, such as winning the MAPL and PAISAA (Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association) championships. Every player stays focused and gives his best to achieve these goals. Everyone understands that the foundation of the team is more important than any individual player’s aspirations, and this mutual understanding further facilitates Stensland’s task.
As the season comes to a close, the team prepares for their games in “States.” Stensland expects “[the team] to play hard and…[everyone] to fight until the last minute.” At the same time, Stensland acknowledges, “Soccer is a weird game, so you can’t really predict the results.”
No matter the challenge, whether it be poor calls from a referee or an unexpected injury, the boys varsity soccer team will continue to play their hardest to create scoring chances and give themselves a shot to win it all.