Editor’s Note: 42Fifty staff reporter Alonzo Quinones did not take part in the writing or editing of this article, although he is part of the boys soccer team.
The OH boys soccer team finished the regular season with a 11-9-3 overall record, a 6-5 conference mark and earned seventh place in the SPC Conference standings after facing significant challenges throughout the season.
After a loss in playoffs this Tuesday, their season may be done, but their camaraderie still shows.
The OH boys soccer team entered the 2026 season with high expectations and a roster featuring both experienced seniors and promising underclassmen. As the season unfolded, the team faced significant challenges with chemistry, communication, and overall on-field performance, requiring considerable effort and dedication to navigate them successfully.
“Going into the season, I felt really confident,” said OH senior defensive center mid Ulises Cruz. “We have a lot of young players, many seniors, but a lot of talent; we just need to adapt to new changes.”
After a challenging start, the team built momentum on Sept. 8 with a 2-0 win over Plainfield Central, followed by a 3-1 conference win over Yorkville.
“We improved in a lot of ways, especially our chemistry on and off the field, our tactical movements, and now we’re putting our focus on getting more goals,” senior striker Alex Nieves said.
During the preparations for playoffs, the team continued to build their excitement and teamwork.
“I have not been more confident. Over the past two weeks, we’ve bonded as a team and learned to play more cohesively,” Crus said. “At the beginning, we were kicking the ball upfield, but now we are passing and playing more as a unit, and we are looking much better.”
In the final days of preparation, the team put their rough start behind them, and focused on the camaraderie they’ve built, and how to communicate effectively and use everyone’s strengths.
“I’ve forgotten everything about our actual season; right now I’m focused on how we can improve as a team,” OH junior goal keeper Cristian Lopez said. “These guys are like my family, so understanding how we can improve overall together remains my primary concern moving forward into the playoffs with complete dedication and commitment to achieving our collective goals and giving everything we have on the field for each other always.”
Tuesday’s playoff game unfortunately ended in a loss against Plainfield North, losing 2-1.
While these last games were the end of many seniors’ high school soccer careers, they were also just the start of many players’ journeys.
According to the players, this year’s team has shown nothing but great leadership and a strong sense of unity. Those returning are already looking forward to next season.
Hi!! My name is Ana Morehouse, I am a senior at Oswego High School. This is my first year of being a part of the 42Fifty staff team. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line (Juliana Morehouse). We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication.
