Last season, the Gaels Varsity Soccer team finished 11-10 on the season, finishing 24 points behind first place McDonogh and coming in 5th place. This season, the Gaels will be looking to build off of last seasons triumphs and learn from their mistakes.
Goalie Nick DeShong ’17 took some time to talk about the learning process: “We learned a lot as a team from last season to this season. A key to our team is our chemistry and it has built up since last season. Our leaders are more mature and we honestly are coming together and I know we have a shot at the championship. Our expectations are high like always, but we are focused one game at a time and only one game. I know for a fact that we can’t get ahead of ourselves, we have to stay together and take this season game by game and team.”
I also had the opportunity to interview coach St. Martin to get his view on his team this season. He told me that the advantage this team has coming into the season is that the majority of the players on the team has at least one to two years on the Varsity squad. Experience is on their side and it has shown in their first two games this season, beating Loyola in the first game and a few close calls away from defeating McDonogh, the defending MIAA Champion. This preseason, the Baltimore Sun ranked the St. Joe team 4th, but for coach St. Martin while it is nice for his team to receive the recognition, it is all about taking it game by game.
As I already mentioned, the season is already underway for the Gaels winning their first game of the MIAA season 3-0 over Loyola; goals from Jordan Ehart, Brett St. Martin, and Jake Mazzei.The Gaels second MIAA game ended with a tough 2-1 loss versus McDonogh; the lone goal from Mazzei. The team had their game against Spalding postponed due to heat on Friday, September 9. Their next game is Wednesday, September 14, at home against Archbishop Curley. They also play Friday, away, at Gilman.