With fall sports in full swing, it’s only fair to take a closer look at some of the Fire’s favorite fall teams.
Boys soccer seeks redemption this year after losing to Watertown-Mayer last year despite being the #1 seed. With new head coach, Robb Richter, the boys started the season out strong, beating conference opponent Jordan by two goals. Both goals were scored by junior forward Henry Lisko, and both were assisted by junior defensive midfielder Philip Olson. Two days later, the Fire took on a very strong section rival, Providence Academy. Star goalkeeper, Jackson Baker, kept a clean sheet, leading the fire to an eventual win. With the game-winning goal scored with an elegant finish from Jas Czeneszew; assisted by Luke Lebens, chesting the ball out of the air off a cross from quality midfielder Philip Olson.
Despite the strong start, the boys went on to lose to Class AAA state contender, Edina. Additionally, having a disaster against the strong Class AA opponent Benilde, losing by three goals. After receiving a red card, defender Will Hatfield, was suspended for a game. Despite these losses, the boys are currently ranked #1 in Class A. Looking forward, the boys have an important week coming up in terms of conference play, taking on three conference opponents in a row: Southwest Christian, Mound-Westonka, and Watertown-Mayer.
The girls soccer team expects to have a successful season despite having a losing record currently. Starting off the season with a 6-0 win at Jordan, the girls were led by three strong scorers: sophomore Lauren Ferguson, junior Ava Shirley, and senior captain Maggie Dowling. Senior goalie Bella Hocevar also saved six shots to secure the clean sheet. In spite of losing their next game narrowly, the Girls bounced back against the strong AA opponent, Orono, even with goal-scorer Maggie Dowling having an injury scare in what she described as a “near death experience” (she got a black eye).
Despite disappointing losses to powerhouses Holy Angels and Minnetonka, the girls take on Mound-Westonka on Thursday, September 14th, where Maggie Dowling expects a “4-0 win,” hoping to “make [their] coach proud.” They also hope to set the tone for the night as the boys take on Southwest Christian immediately following their game. Some season goals for the girls include winning each the conference title, the section title, and the state championship.
The girl’s volleyball team is a force to be reckoned with this season. Despite being 1-1, the girls have shown much promise. Their first game was against Glencoe High School, a very tough opponent. The girls went down early to Glencoe-Silver Lake, but battled back and nearly completed an improbable comeback, eventually losing by a narrow margin. Their next game, Norwood, was another comeback. However this time, the girls beat their opponents 3-0. The girls rallied behind junior star player Sonja Laaksonen, who, described by teammates, brings energy and resilience to the table, as well as being a well-rounded player. She is likely to captain the team in the future.
Looking to the rest of the season, experienced senior captains Tamara Mackey and Zoe Schuele are determined to lead their team to a triumphant year. Mark your calendars for September 26th, when the girls face off against a high-quality conference rival, Mound-Westonka, a game that carries significant weight to conference seeding. There is also much anticipation for when the girls take on Providence Academy, in what is expected to be a highly competitive matchup. For the finale of the regular season, the team will go head-to-head with school rivals, Southwest Christian. The girls are counting on a massive turnout of fans to rally behind them, helping propel them to victory.