Soccer Strength Continues with Winning Teams at All Levels
The soccer pitch has been an exciting place this spring, with 96 AIS students scoring wins and outpacing opponents on the varsity, junior varsity and middle school levels.
The varsity boys have overcome an amazingly difficult schedule to earn a berth in the state playoffs. Playing in a region with six of the top ten schools in the state, they faced tough competition in every match. Despite incurring injuries to key players, they amassed an impressive 6-3 regional record.
Highlights of the season included wins against Decatur and Paideia in thrilling, hard-fought games. Coach Bob Geiger said, "This team should be extremely proud of what it has accomplished this year. We can play dominating possession soccer against the best teams in the state. The team has tremendous character and skill. We're planning to play hard in the playoff matches and enjoy every minute. We hope everyone will come out and cheer us on to victory."
The girls' varsity team, under the direction of Ken Dawson, played in a very strong region and was a constant threat to any opponent. The girls exceeded all Dawson's expectations of them, playing with determination and teamwork. "They pushed and encouraged each other when there was no gas left in the tank," he said. "These girls played through injuries, played new positions and never stopped smiling. Everyone did their job and did it 100 percent. We felt we had a chance in every game and that is the standard we will build on." Recognizing the diverse demands on his players, Coach Dawson said, "If you think AIS sets high academic standards in the Atlanta market, wait until you see what the soccer program has in store. The way the girls surmounted every challenge we faced this season showed what AIS varsity girls soccer is all about." The highlight of the season was an overtime win against Cross Keys on Senior Night.
The JV boys' team had another successful season finishing with a winning record of 5-2-1. Coaches McManus and Spencer were impressed all season with the boys' enthusiasm for practice and their commitment in matches. Special mention must go to Santiago Patiño-Gómez, who finished as top scorer for the team, but he was pushed all season by Chris Scherf. The team's defense was marshaled most of the season by Phaethon Philbrook, while midfield was directed by Michael Giblin. Several of the boys must be looking forward to a spot in the varsity team roster next year. Especially pleasing was an early season emphatic win over Pace Academy. Well done, boys, on a great season.
The JV girls' team was delighted with its successful 4-1-3 season. Coach Kourosh Doulkhani focused on the basics in training, capitalizing on the athletic abilities of his players, many of whom were relatively new to soccer. In their last game of the season against Yeshiva, the passing practice paid off when the girls came back from behind to shut their opponents down and win 2-1. Coach Doulkhani said, "It was a really enjoyable experience to watch these girls develop their soccer skills and become confident team players. Their enthusiasm was terrific and the motivation to improve quite contagious. It was a really successful season in every way."
If the success of the MS girls' team is any indication, AIS's soccer future looks bright. Led by Coach Veronica McDaniel, the girls have amassed a 5-1 record with several games still to play. Coach McDaniel is enthusiastic about her players. "Working with the A-team has been such a pleasure because they have so much fun and are such skilled and easily coached players. Each player brings something different to the team and the combination has been very successful. Julia Lancaster has been our lead scorer this season and has been a strong captain. Amy O'Halloran, our talented, enthusiastic goalkeeper, anchored our excellent defensive team."
To read recaps of individual games reported by the players themselves or to see more pictures, go to www.aischool.org/athletics/soccer.html. Congratulations to the players and their coaches for successful seasons and thanks to the parents and students who supported them.