A big boys soccer game between two of the top teams in the state, the Lovett Lions and the Westminster Wildcats, will take place this Friday night.
The Lions come in with an overall record of 12-2-1 and a region record of 5-1. The Wildcats come in with an overall record of 9-2-4 and a region record of 3-0. The Lions are ranked No. 2 in Region 6 of Class 2A, while the Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in Region 5 of Class 3A.
These are two traditional rivals that meet up every year, with the Wildcats having won the last matchup on April 5, 2019 by a score of 2-0.
“We’re very close in proximity, we’re very similar schools, so it’s kind of like a family rivalry,” Wildcats head coach Scott Snyder said. “It’s a fun thing to look forward to…I think both sides find it good.”
Players to watch for the Lions include sophomore midfielder Julian Farris, senior striker Wasswa Robbins (team-leading 31 goals and 11 assists) and sophomore defender Prescott Bayman. Players to watch for the Wildcats include senior forward Weyimi Agbeyegbe, junior midfielder Edward Rendle, junior forward Alex Lee and senior defender Carl Kassabian. The Lions are coming in on a two-game winning streak with wins over the Holy Innocents Golden Bears and the Grady Knights. The Wildcats are coming in off of a loss to the Dalton Catamounts.
Lions head coach Tyler Sherman sees this game, which is their last regular season game of the season, as being one that will set the tone for a playoff run.
“We don’t want to lose, but at the same time, we know it’s going to be a difficult match, but I’m confident in my team’s ability to get the result that we’re looking for,” coach Sherman said.
For coach Sherman, there are several things that his team must do in his eyes in order to pull off this win.
“Staying organized in the back, taking care of the ball in the middle and being nimble up front,” coach Sherman said. “That’s the message that I give to my team every game.”
For coach Snyder, he has the same message for his team going into every single game that they play.
“To me, games aren’t won and lost on big plays, a lot of the time, they’re won and lost on little plays and I want us to always be in the right situation on the little plays,” coach Snyder said.
Even though this game doesn’t carry heavy playoff implications, for these two rivals, it will serve as a major test for where they currently are as a team and what they need to improve on before the playoffs.
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