The JV boys have struggled to find the winning formula as of late, as their inconsistent record of 3-2-1 (as of Sept. 24) has the team rushing to get into a groove before season’s end.
Since the thriller vs. Richard Montgomery on Sept. 6, the boys have been busy. They have most recently played Seneca Valley and Quince Orchard, but both of those games were played too late to be covered in this issue.
The games prior to those two have been a constantly swinging pendulum between fulfillment and frustration. The team hosted a goal-fest against the Poolesville Falcons on Sept. 24, winning by an astounding score of 8-0. Everything clicked for the boys and they took down the Falcons with ease. “I feel like this season we’ve played well at times this season, but not nearly well enough,” sophomore center back Ryan Mahon said.
The boys were shutout 3-0 vs. the Gaithersburg Trojans on Sept. 20. It was not the Patriots’ day. The overall technique was off, and the Trojans outworked them, resulting in the worst loss of the season.
The Patriots snatched up a win against the Clarksburg Coyotes on Sept. 15, winning the game 5-2. Despite what the scoreline suggests, the boys didn’t play up to their potential for most of the game, but three late goals got the job done.
Prior to that, the boys lost a 2-0 heartbreaker against the Churchill Bulldogs on Sept. 13. Luck wasn’t on the Patriots’ side, and they couldn’t get a win in for one of the most important games of the year, as there is no postseason for junior varsity, and Churchill is a huge rival. “Churchill is our rival and I know kids on the Churchill team. It sucks losing to them,” sophomore co-captain and center back Ben Stoller said.
The Patriots showed their strength against a non-conference school when they won 3-1 vs. the DeMatha Stags on Sept. 10. The team looked in sync and managed to tighten the reins on the Stags, simply outplaying them and working together to achieve the victory.
With barely any games left in the season, the players are hoping to be more successful as a team by the time the season ends. “We play well as a unit in desperate situations, but we need to play like that from beginning to end,” Mahon said.
As the team tries to shape up, the boys are trying to showcase what they bring to the table individually with hopes of being promoted to the varsity squad toward the end of the season.
It’s likely that the remainder of the season will be as unpredictable and inconsistent as it has been so far, but regardless of what their record is by the end of the season, the boys know they have varsity careers in the near future, and they should be a joy to watch.
Joe Pohoryles
JV Sports Editor
