Omaha South soccer has been thriving this season, keeping its tradition of winning alive. Coach Joe Maass said, “When we get to May, it matters the most.” The question is, will they keep dominating?
Omaha South has a 6-1 record, winning three in a row. Its only loss was against South’s rival, Creighton Prep. “So far, so good. We really haven’t had any bad performances,” Maass stated. He also added, “At 6-1, we are in the mix to make it to State at this point.”
South has five more regular-season games. Between those five games, they are playing in the Metro Tournament. South played Westside on Monday, April 6. They play the Metro Tournament after the Westside game. “We have just reached the critical bulk of our schedule starting with Westside,” Maass added.
He also stated, “Games are more difficult down the stretch as we look to build momentum heading into districts and State.”
Senior Dylan Holden has convinced fans and coaches that he is trying to get Gatorade Player of the Year. Holden, in seven games, has had 32 shots, eight goals and four assists.
“My biggest personal improvement has been taking shots from anywhere. Obviously it’s not ideal to always shoot from anywhere, but when teams know how good our attack is and have to double-team, then it’s sometimes a ‘must-have’ to shoot these shots.”
Holden has played every game so far this season. He believes that the team is still focused on its goal. “I’m 100% confident in our team’s ability to win state.” He averages at least one goal per game, as well as 0.6 assists per game.
Senior Ryan Kubiak has also convinced fans that he is the conductor of the midfield. By his side is senior Angel Torres, who has been playing phenomenally. Maass stated, “Angel Torres has become a huge force in the midfield.”
Don’t forget about the defense, which has only allowed two goals. “Our back four defenders (Marcos Flores, Hugo Hernandez, Leo Ramirez and Jonathan Solano) have been a brick wall,” Maass added.
Goaltending-wise, two goals have been allowed in seven games — one on Brian Franco and one on Joshua Orea. Brian Franco has been a brick wall, starting every game, and a goal hadn’t been conceded until the Elkhorn South game.
