by Andrew Fenner ‘27 and Chase Sondike ‘26

After a tough 1-0 loss to Churchill to close out the regular season, Sherwood finished the regular season with a 7-5 record that was a mix of highs and lows. If the Warriors felt any uncertainty going into the playoffs, they shook off the doubts with a commanding 3-0 home win against Magruder in the first round, and a win against Rockville 3-2 in the second round.
Senior right back Adam Levy said the win against Rockville was big for their momentum because although Rockville’s record was subpar, they were a strong team. “They were our biggest test of the season,” Levy said.

In the Regional Final, the Warriors played Kennedy, who they lost to in overtime in the regular season. “We are a different team than when we played them earlier in the season,” said Coach Paul Homon. “Our defensive scheme is solid, and we have had strong goalkeeping play down the stretch. Kennedy has had great play from their wingers so we need to make sure we don’t give them too much space to create.”
Levy said the Regional Final game is an opportunity to show Sherwood’s growth as a soccer program.

“Kennedy sent us home last year, which is why this game is so big.” Levy said that as long as Sherwood is able to stay organized and play their game, they would have a shot.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the season was defeating the defending 3A state champion Damascus in overtime 2-1 at home on October 7. Homon said the win was a testament to the growth of the squad as the season progressed. “The team realized when we play as a unit, move the ball quickly, and look to find teammates … we can be very dangerous.”

Last year boys soccer went 4-7-1 in the regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. This year, with a deeper core and vast improvement on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, there was always potential for a deep playoff run. Regarding the refinement on the defensive end, Senior midfielder Alex Welch said the boost was “due to our increased focus on communication.”

Homon agreed, and said that the team has “had a goal all season to be better at communicating on the field and it shows.” Sherwood only allowed 14 goals through their 12 regular season games this year, a big leap from last year’s team that allowed 14 goals in just their first 7 games.

On the frontline, junior striker Caleb Alie was a key factor and crucial for the team’s offensive output throughout the regular season, helping lead them to a winning record. Notably, the offense this year has scored 28 goals, twice as many goals as last year’s team strung together.