With the 2019 Westborough Boys Soccer Season in full effect, parents and many more are excited to follow the players’ journeys and to see what this new-look team has in store to offer. After falling to Leominster 3-1 late in the playoffs last post-season, this reshaped team will have to adapt to the added personnel and may have to alter certain tactics in order to be successful in the season.    

Returning captain Icaro Viera along with new captains Jack Phelps and Jeremy James have extremely positive outlooks on the season ahead. Dealing with a senior-heavy team this year, both the coaches and captains are trying to figure out how to organize the lineups and move all of the different pieces to complete this puzzle. Jeremy James went on to say, “We have a very talented group this year and we have a great amount of potential to make a deep run.” Icaro Viera also shared his thoughts, adding that the squad is, “a strong and experienced team with tons of diverse play styles who are willing to give everything to win.” 

The Rangers’ first game is against Shrewsbury and players are more than ready. They’ve already completed two preseason games, securing wins against Hudson 2-1 and Hopkinton 1-0. Confidence is through the roof, and players commonly agree that Westborough High School should expect a strong run in the season and eventually in the playoffs. 

Returning senior and center defensive midfielder Will Burger, expects this team to be very prosperous. “Having a lot of returning players this year will be very helpful for the experience at the varsity level, as many of us know exactly what to expect when it comes to the competition.” The Rangers also have some luck on their side as some previous rivals such as Marlboro and Wachusett have lost many of their key players due to senior-heavy rosters last year. This year, Burger believes that “some of the more anticipated games should be less challenging than in previous years”. 

Key players this year, such as Jackson Barry and Dylan Molloy are also amped up for the season as they will be continuing to play big roles for the team and will be very important pieces for overall success. As the season continues, fans should definitely be on the lookout for these players and others, for there are definitely students with college-level talent. 

It’s all up to Head Coach, John Hillier, and Assistant Coach, Tom Newbury to figure out how to put all of the pieces together in a way that will lead this team back to the State Championship.