The Amherst varsity soccer team had a stunning run this year. The team finished 2nd in the conference and made it all the way until the regional final where they suffered hear break at Columbus Catholic, losing 1-0 against the Dons. The game was very rough and brutal with many people hitting the ground and many fouls called.
The team that was created this year will be remembered in the hearts of the seniors and everybody else on the team for the amount of effort and focus put into the practices and games. We are glad to be known as the 2023 Amherst Soccer team.
Mason Colligan said, “We had a very good season and everybody played very well, and I am looking forward to beating Columbus next year. I am happy I get to play for the Amherst Soccer team.”
According to Austin Kosobucki, “We had a very excellent season, with many ups and downs. But the ride was worth it, resulting in our first playoff win in a very long time. The team definitely grew in skill, communication, and trust. I am definitely proud of these boys and excited to watch them excel but for me, it will be from the stands.”
“I thought the season went pretty well,” said senior Gabe Pinkalla. “We worked well together as a team. It was a good season in my opinion. The season ended a few games earlier than we would’ve liked, due to the lose of certain players and the gain of others, but I will be looking forward to the younger gentleman on the team to excel in the season next year.”
Senior keeper Alex Martin had a lot to say about this great season. “A difference in skill and competitiveness can definitely be seen between the soccer team in August and the soccer team in October. Thanks to the coaches and the players’ work ethic, they have improved tremendously. The team did excellent this season, beating most of their rivals, and shutting out teams over 9 times.
“It only makes Amherst wonder how explosive the soccer team will become next season. With talented new players coming into the program, and existing players developing, the soccer team has a good chance to win conference next year and make it far into the playoffs, possibly even reaching state!”
The Amherst Soccer team had an overall record of 15-7, with a 9-3 record in conference. The soccer team placed second in conference with many excellent competitive wins against conference rivals Newman Catholic, Pacelli, and Northland Lutheran. The Amherst Soccer team went into the playoffs against Coulee Christian, and after a competitive, high-action match pulled away with a 5-0 win, advancing to the second round of playoffs. The team made an effort to dive even deeper into the playoffs but unfortunately were stopped by the #1 team, Columbus Catholic. This year’s Amherst Soccer team is one of the best teams the school has had in its soccer history.”
Varsity freshman Antek Zoromski-Linde added, “I thought the season was great. We had some good and bad days. Unfortunate ending to the season, but we are going to be better next year.”
“We had our ups and down throughout the whole season, but the journey was worth the while,” said junior Maxim Wise. “Our season ended a few games earlier than we wanted. But I feel like we have a strong chance of winning a conference title next year. I am glad to say I play for the Amherst Soccer Team.”
Lastly Coach Ryan Pikka had this to say: “The team did well this year. We went through a bit of a rough spell about midseason where we struggled with consistent performances. We got the results we were hoping for but struggled to put in the performances we’ve come to expect from ourselves.
“The boys did end up putting it all together in the run-up to the end of the season putting in a great performance at home in the Regional Semi-Final vs Coulee Christian/Providence and then pushing a very good Columbus Catholic side who recently advanced to the Sectional Final.
“As much as it stings to get bounced earlier than we would have liked, we are a very young side that has tremendous upside moving forward. We return a lot of talented players next season, which is promising, but the boys know they’re going to have to earn everything they get moving forward. There are no guarantees in soccer, and the boys know they’ll need to work hard.”
