After the invitational tournament, the boys went on the road to face Clarksburg on Sept. 18 hoping to add some more wins to their record. Coming off a loss from Churchill, the team looked to get back on track.

The team started the game off slow and the defense could not find their rhythm. Both downfalls allowed Clarksburg to find the back of the net three times. The defense has been struggling all year letting in eight goals in four games. The defense is not the only part that the team struggles with. Offense has been scoreless in two out of four games. Sophomore Andy Ram was the only Patriot to score and it was as unassisted goal. The team lost 3-1, leaving the team under .500 with a 1-3 record.

Looking to bounce back from the loss, the Patriots played Richard Montgomery on Sept. 23. The team’s offense started off strong making a statement with their first goal. As the game went on the defense let in a goal late but were able to hold them to only one goal. The second goal by senior Karl Scherf put the game in the bag and the Patriots were able to bounce back and win 2-1. “It feels good to come off of a loss and win the game, it shows we can work through tough times,” junior defender Justin Dauski said.
The boys traveled to face against Gaithersburg on Sept. 27. The offense was not able to score, making it their third scoreless game. While the defense was not working as well, as they let in three goals and could not stop the Trojan offense. The team played arguably their best game of the season so far but were unable to find the back of the net, resulting in a 3-0 loss. “It never feels good to lose another and not be able to score,” senior midfielder Nikhi Youssef said.

The team hosted the Quince Orchard Cougars on Oct. 2. The team was looking for a win after the devastating loss against Gaithersburg. The team played well on both sides of the ball. The defense played well, not letting in any goals, the second the game the Patriots shut out another team. The offense worked well together, scoring two goals. The first was by junior Nick Bonilla and the second to seal the game off was by Youssef. They defeated the Cougars, 2-0. Their record sits at 3-4.

The Patriots travelled to play against Northwest on Oct. 5, too late to be included in this issue. After that, they play aginst Paint Branch at home on Sept. 9.

Eric Lee

Staff Writer