Boys’ soccer opened up its season on Sept. 8 against defending 2A state finalists, Century High School, from Skyesville, with a winning score of 4-2, after tight scrimmages against Rockville, Northwest and Richard Montgomery during preseason.
The team finished with a 7-6 record last season. New head coach Kevin Gnatiko is gearing up for his first season and is aiming to restore the team to its winning ways of the past and build a great program and brotherhood. Gnatiko said, ”My goal this season is bigger than just wins and losses. I want to build a soccer program at Wootton that players, families, and the entire community can be proud of. Of course, competing for a state title is always a dream, but my real focus is on creating a culture of excellence that lasts. I want our players to grow as leaders, as teammates, and as young men who carry the values of discipline, respect and commitment both on and off the field.”
The team is looking forward to the new additions of freshman Brody Winakour, junior Egor Bodak and junior Lorenzo Ribulotta, who will aim to help the team. Key 2025 graduates Kian Kaz, Logan Lacy, Ryan Kaufman, Toby Subiela, and Alex Balian left for college, leaving holes in the team that need to be filled by players moving up from the JV team. Senior Aadi Chaudhari said, “We played two preseason scrimmages and we are practicing every day to get familiar with our new coach and his coaching style, and I think doing well in the first game is a result of our hard work.”
The JV team is also looking to add on to the success of last season, as they finished the season 6-3 with key wins against Sherwood and Northwood. As for coaching, alum Daniel Yaya will be helping once again with JV, bringing strong knowledge and passion for the game. JV also kicked off the season Sept. 8 against Century with a convincing 3-2 victory. Yaya said, “The JV team has a lot of talent this year so obviously we want to win every game. But one of the expectations I have is to not see the majority of the team playing JV next year. The head coach and I want them to have improved enough to be trying out for varsity next year instead of returning as JV players.”
After a tough loss to Kennedy in the second round of the playoffs last year, returning seniors ChaudhariAadi Chaudhairi, Kevin Sun and Shreyas Ganeshan will use their previous experience to guide the team and help the new players acclimate to the varsity level alongside Gnatiko. Gnatiko said, “Our returning players are the heartbeat of the program. They set the tone for everything we do. I expect them to welcome the new players by showing, not just telling, what it means to be part of Wootton soccer. That means demonstrating work ethic, discipline, and respect day in and day out – whether in practice, in the classroom, or in the community. Their leadership helps the younger players feel a sense of belonging right away, and it ensures that the culture we’re building will continue to grow stronger every season.”
The team has a rigorous schedule with key games against B-CC on Sept. 15, Churchill on Sept. 27 and the final home game on Oct. 16 against the defending 4A finalists Richard Montgomery. Last season, the team lost to Churchill 1-0, and they are hyped up for the revenge game this season. The team’s next game is Sept. 15 at B-CC. Chaudari said, “I think our schedule this year is definitely harder because we are playing some more 4A teams and teams that we don’t normally play.”
