The Charlottesville High School soccer team was the most impressive team along with the best sport at the high school last year and that is likely to be the case this year. They had key players at just about every position on the squad and had lots of depth coming off the bench making them destined for a deep playoff run and that is exactly what they did. The team ended up winning every regular season game and outscoring their opponents to a whopping total of 78 goals to 7. The team’s accomplishments on their season last year just go on and on: undefeated season, winning districts, winning conference, region finals berth, a trip to the state tournament, and finally a state finals berth. The team had very few weaknesses, the only weaknesses that I saw when I would watch the teams games is their defensive set pieces and the teams discipline. The team committed very many fouls last year with one possibly costing them a state finals win. With the teams defensives set pieces, they seem to have been poor in marking their man and become very complacent when the ball is in the air causing for mishaps on the defensive end and the other team capitalizing on their mistakes. Other than that the team seems very solid all around.

Since the team lost to Albemarle 6-1 in the 2016 season, they have been almost perfect compiling an overall record of 37-4-1. Most of the team would say they would credit this success to a chemistry building weekend sleepover to bring their team closer together so they would perform more fluently and together on the field. This team building experience came just says after a devastating 6-1 loss to Albemarle where they showed many weaknesses and questionable attitude from many of the players. Since such a loss the CHS boys soccer team has been the most dominant sport at the school, an exciting team to watch. The 2016 and 2017 team has also sent a combined 6 players to college to continue their athletic careers.

The infamous 2017 CHS boys soccer team who reached the state finals did graduate some very key players including: Yayha Mohammed, Alex Pfister, Evan Blow, Abibi Osman, Barun Tamang, and Pau Park, all contributing to the teams state run in a very big way. All of these players were very key players, with 5 of them continuing their athletic careers in college for soccer. This years team although does bring back very key players in: Herbert Ryan, Isaac Kenner, Kyle Lenhert, Campbell Brickhouse, Ayat Mohammed, Toby Covert, Lucas Higgins, and Aidan Folger, with two players already committed to play soccer in college. This makes the team seem very deep as they also have some new additions in Malcolm Brickhouse, Oliver Barcia, Dao who should be solid contributions and adding to the teams depth.

This 2018 Black Knight soccer team is destined for a deep run into the Virginia 4A state playoffs and I will not be surprised if they return to the state finals once again. I expect them to win their district. I also expect them to go undefeated in the regular season with the exception of a close game against Albemarle as the teams seem to be evenly matched. If the team can continue to build solid chemistry, work together as a whole, and learn from their mistakes early it should be a great year from the CHS boys soccer team and I am excited to see what my boys can do when it comes for playoffs time as I come confident in them making history and being a truly great team.