The Only Way is Up

By Jack Wood, DA Class of 2025

The Denver Academy High School Soccer Team, coming off of a winless season, feels more optimism about this year than any other year in recent memory. In the past three seasons, the Mustangs soccer team has felt a steep decline going from a mid-tier program in the 2A Mile High League, finishing in third place in 2021, to what is undoubtedly rock bottom, going winless last season. So why does this team, which hasn’t made the playoffs in three seasons, let alone won a league match in the post-Coach Williams era, have so much optimism?

Well, it begins with the shiny new feature of this team: real depth at the goalkeeper position. Senior Seth B. has been a bright spot in the net for the Mustangs, saving 97 goals last season and placing third in the Mile High League in that category. Behind him in goal is freshman Becket G., who is a serviceable backup option to Seth B., and will likely see limited but noticeable playing time as Coach Zimmermann begins to look for a replacement for Bartley. Additionally, the team’s experience is undeniable with eight seniors, including star attacker Josh P., who bagged a hat trick in the pre-season scrimmage versus Beth Eden Baptist School (a game in which the Mustangs won 4-0), and returning captain Nate S., who has been a fixture of consistent leadership in a team going through a lot of turmoil. 

Several games have already been played against Bennett High School on the 22 (the Mustangs lost 7-2), and STEM Highlands Ranch on Thursday at Marcy Park in Highlands Ranch (which the Mustangs lost by a score of 11-4). This week, the boys head on the road to Denver Jewish Day School on Wednesday, September 4, and then Friday afternoon, September 6 right here against Twin Peaks Classical Academy. The league matches on display this season include road games at familiar foes Front Range Christian, Heritage Christian, and Dawson, as well as home clashes against Bishop Machbeuf and Rocky Mountain Lutheran. 

As with most seasons at Denver Academy, the Mustang soccer team will have five of its most important league matchups back-to-back with Heritage Christian, Front Range Christian, Skyview, Machbeuf, and Dawson in a three-week span from September 26 to October 14.

Postseason sports is a department-wide goal for DA Athletics, and the first team to get a crack at that is the soccer team. Led by an experienced core, as well as young players looking to make a name for themselves, this is a team that absolutely could make a run, but some very large, very clear question marks need to be answered before that can happen.