On Friday, December 9th, the RE boys varsity soccer team took on Westminster Christian at home. The stands were packed with both student bodies. This was the biggest turnout of the year. The tension rose as the game progressed. The match was back and forth, and both teams fought until the end to come out victorious.

The field was energetic as students were cheering for the game to start. There were more Westminster fans, but that did not stop the Raiders from starting strong with possession of the ball. Westminster’s defense quickly stole the ball, and the Raiders were in hot pursuit to counteract their offense. The game was highly competitive, as both teams were determined to win. Last year, the Raiders beat Westminster Christian in Regional Semifinal to knock them out of the state bracket. The Warriors were determined to get their revenge.

After a relatively uneventful half, the Warriors broke free and scored to make the score 1-0. The Raiders seemed down, But Seniors Alex Denaro and Christian Sosa kept the energy alive by rallying their teammates. 

The tension began to rise between the players as the Warriors kept fouling the Raiders. The Raiders played solid defense and kept the score 1-0. The Warriors broke through and almost scored, but Martin Piedrahita ‘24 made an incredible save and deflected the ball out of the goal. 

Momentum eventually shifted towards the Raiders, and they had several shots on goal. Alex Denaro ‘23 put the ball in the back of the net to level out the score. He ran by the Ransom student body to ensure they were still in the game. The stands were cheering as the Raiders celebrated their goal as a team. Justin Saphier ‘23 said, “the stands felt electric, and the goal revived them from being silent.” Christian Sosa ‘23 kept shouting, “it’s not over,” to give his team the energy needed to stay on focus. 

The Warriors had a few more attempts to score, but the Raider’s defense shut them down. At the last minute, the Raiders had a shot on goal but was contested by the Warrior’s goalkeeper. 

The game ended 1-1, and the Raiders were not satisfied. Alex Denaro said, “I’m proud of the team for not giving up, but we will use this tie to fuel the energy for the next game. The Raiders will most likely play the Warriors again further down the road.