SRHS soccer team enters final stretch

SRHS soccer team enters final stretch

By Hector Trujillo

The Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) mens soccer team enters the final stretch of the season with high aspirations while trying to make a strong push toward the CIF-SDS playoffs. The Falcons have seven matches remaining starting on Jan. 21 versus Mission Bay High, which SRHS beat 2-0 the last time both teams faced each other.

“So far so good and we’ve gotten some nice results,” said head coach Hans Witzell regarding this season. “We have a deep team and are really solid all around.”

Despite dealing with some early season injuries to some key players, SRHS has managed to overcome the adversity, led in large part by the efforts of co-captain Maehul Mehra.

The Falcons started off on fire by going undefeated in its first four games which included three straight one-goal victories over teams including Hilltop High, Rancho Buena Vista High and Gompers Prep Academy.

“Our league is kind of wide open, but that doesn’t tell you who the team to beat in our league will be,” Witzell said. “We have several players who have been together for a lot of years, and that’s pretty beneficial.”

SRHS has a very experienced team this year with 19 seniors on the roster, which is the most ever as they currently compete in the Western League. The Falcons did not suffer a defeat until its fifth game which came on Dec. 13 against Helix High by a score of 1-0. The team was able to bounce back with a nail-biting 2-2 draw versus Mira Mesa High on Dec. 17 followed by a dominating 3-1 victory against University City High on Dec. 19.

“I expect us to compete for a league championship and then see what kind of seeding we will get for the playoffs,” Witzell said.

Of all the remaining games, four will be at home and three on the road with the regular season finale being on Feb. 11 versus Point Loma High. The Falcons went 9-6-6 last year and lost just one of its final 11 games to enter post-season play, defeating Carlsbad High 3-1 in the first-round before losing to Calexico High 2-0 in the second round.