The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate soccer team will open its season with a home game against Piedra Vista (3-0) today, Thursday, Aug. 17.
The Pirates will square off against the No. 1-ranked squad in New Mexico’s 5A classification.
The Panthers are 3-0 on the season.
“I think it’ll be a good game,” said coach Trevor Gian. “They [have been] highly ranked in 5A New Mexico over the last few years, and Farmington’s a town a lot of our players are familiar with on the club side. [There are] good players down there.”
The start of the Pirates’ season was pushed back after last week’s Aztec tournament in New Mexico was canceled.
In the meantime, the boys have been practicing their formation, positioning and tactics while also trying to simulate game action on a full-size field, noted Gian.
Specifically, Gian emphasized that the work has looked like practicing two-touch passes, swinging the ball around the back, looking to positionally switch the point of attack and working on creativity with the ball within the formation.
Still, without a game under their belt yet this season, Gian emphasized that the Pirates have been unable to simulate real game speed and he believes that Piedra Vista will want to play fast.
“I just think it’s just going to be a fast game, and we’ll have to settle in a little bit and slow it down,” he said. “[It] would be ideal to where we can sort of make some adjustments, again, because it’ll be our first time on the field.”
Gian put a big emphasis on playing a very tight first 10 minutes of the game as to not give anything up early.
He noted he really wants his team to slow the game down and not play rushed.
On the field, players such as senior Ryder King and junior Hudson Davis in the middle of the field as well as junior Ethan Bracken in net are players that Gian highlighted as important pieces for the Pirates.
Younger players such as sophomore Ryder Davis are also going to get a chance to fortify the defense and push the ball through the middle of the field, Gian noted.
More than anything, Gian explained he wants his team to stay in shape as they both push forward on the attack and recover defensively.
“This will be a big test,” Gian said, adding, “Formationally, we’re looking to do some specific things, and a lot of those players are going to play a pivotal role there.”
Thursday’s game will kick off at 4 p.m. at Golden Peaks Stadium.
jsellner@orourkemediagroup.com
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