The boy’s soccer league season at Canyon Hills came to an end on Thursday, February 19. After two months of dedication and training, the Varsity players played an outstanding game against Madison, winning 4-1. This was no ordinary game, however, as ten graduating seniors would be celebrated.

The match was contested until the 15th minute, when the fleet-footed freshman Abdullah Amin opened the scoring. Shortly after, senior Jeremy Holsti latched onto a through ball from Amin to double the lead.

Going into the second half up 2-0, the Rattlers continued to defend and create chances. Their hard work would be rewarded in the 55th minute, with a goal from senior and Varsity captain, Braden Saward. 

Saward’s display that night did not stop there. In the final minutes of the match, Madison gave up a free kick at the edge of the area. In a show of skill and confidence, Saward went under the wall and scored, giving the Rattlers a 4-1 lead.

“It felt great to score those two goals to help us overcome Madison. All the hard work we’ve been putting in this season paid off,” he recalled. “The game was a bit sad for me, though, because I knew it would be one of the last times we would play together. We’ve shared the field at this school for four years, watching each other grow and develop. I’m going to miss them.”

The attackers were not the only ones who shined that day. Defenders Landon Miller, Ian Williamson and Micah Wall all had tremendous performances, making several strong tackles. Goalkeeper Andrez Tarrant also pulled off a number of saves to keep the opposition scoreless for most of the game.

Following the match, a ceremony was held to celebrate the ten seniors who graduated this year: Landon Miller, Andrez Tarrant, Alejandro Mata, Micah Wall, Jeremy Holsti, Diego Arellano, Domingo Palma, Edward Lopez, Tyler Ramirez, and Braden Saward.

JV players made two rows in midfield to honor the future graduates. Each senior, accompanied by their family and friends, received a bouquet of flowers and a poster when their names were announced. On top of all this, head coach Greg Allick handed each of them a signed Nike ball.

“I’m proud of how well the boys finished the season with 12 wins and only two losses. This year was challenging – we’ve had to play against strong opposition while dealing with sickness and injury. Despite the adversity, we rose up and did our best to have a succesful season. My only hope now is to do well in CIF,” said coach Greg.

The Rattlers finished 13th overall in San Diego’s Division 3 and qualified for CIF playoffs. They are scheduled to play Gompers Prep away on February 15.