Senior Eli Sherman, one of the team’s three captains, said the boys are continuing their training with a business-as-usual attitude, albeit with renewed vigor and without any desire to rest or slow down. Thus far, the road to and through the post-season hasn’t been an easy one.
“It’s probably the toughest schedule we’ve had in years,” Sherman said, “But we’ve still been able to succeed, which is good.”
This Saturday’s game is shaping up to be another tough match-up. Kickapoo is a team, according to head coach Austin Nichols, with a strong lineup and not too many visible flaws.
“Kickapoo’s mostly got strengths, so we’ve been looking at the few areas of weakness that they have,” Nichols said. “We’re just gonna do our best to keep doing what we’re doing and exploit the few things they’ve had issues with.”
For the most part, the team’s training has been progressing without too many speed bumps. The players’ primary focus, Nichols said, is to keep “putting the ball in the other team’s net.” There have, however, been a few hurdles to overcome in regards to injury. The team’s main goal right now, however, is just making sure everyone is healthy going into the final week of competition, Sherman said, especially since six or seven people have been absent from the past few games because of injuries. However, the boys are used to the hazards that come with the sport, Nichols said.
“It’s the post-season, guys have to suck it up and play through injuries,” Nichols said. “Injuries are just another part of sports.”
Right now, the boys focus on each game individually and plan to continue its post season training and competing with the same tried and true methods that have won it the quarterfinal game in the past.
“We’re just trying to make sure we’re progressing on everything,” Nichols said. “Even guys that are the best in certain areas are still trying to get better at the areas they’re best at, and improve in the areas they’re weaker at, in every dimension of the game.”
By Jake Alden
