Academy Chargers v. St. Pius X Sartans
On September 19, under the lights at Richard Harper Memorial Field, the Academy boys varsity soccer team confronted cross-town rival St. Pius X. Both teams came in with similar records against strong opponents. After a run of strong games, the Academy had faltered at the end of the Academy Tournament and entered the game needing to prove themselves. Pius is talented but young – a team on the rise, trying to determine if their best is in the future or if it has already arrived.
The game started with both teams feeling each other out. Pius had the early run of play but could not beat the Academy defense. Ten minutes in, the Academy started to find spaces in the field, controlling the midfield and keeping the ball mainly in the Pius half of the field. Jack Brown ’25 and Ben Morgan ’25 came on as midfield wingers and their fresh legs and ideas confounded the Sartans. Near the end of the half, Brown initiated a play down the left side which linked some passes and ended with Morgan hitting a patented bending left-footed shot towards the left post. The Pius keeper, however, read the play the whole way and smothered the attempt. Halftime, 0-0.
The Academy came out of halftime confident that they had a handle on the match. Within the first few minutes, Academy earned two corner kicks and everything was on track. However, the game got away from the team as Pius possessed more in midfield and was ever more dangerous, dictating the tempo and style of the match. In the forty-eighth minute, Pius had a breakaway down the left side of the field and their forward met the cross on the far post for a fast-paced counter and goal. 0-1.
The Academy tried to regroup, but they struggled to maintain possession. At times they would look dangerous in the final third of the field but the resulting shots would go over or trickle to the waiting Pius keeper. Sometimes there is a feeling that a team has energy and endeavor, and that a goal is imminent. Unfortunately, there wasn’t that sense even as Felipe Canaca ’24 made a last minute dash at goal with the keeper covering the post as the ball was just wide. The game ended with Pius celebrating their first win over the Academy in many years and the Academy team left with more questions than answers midway through the season.
On the 21st, the Academy traveled to the APS Complex for an evening game against Sandia High. The Matadors were a very strong team last year but had graduated several players. With their own up and down record, Sandia would be a good, even matchup for the Academy as they looked to regain their footing and momentum before district play.
Academy Chargers vs. Sandia Matadors
The answer seemed to come early in the fourth minute when captain Eco Chavez ’24 took a pass on the wing from Maks Giermakowski ’25 and drove the ball inside the far post. Goal! 1-0. The Academy seemed in control, but against the run of play, less than ten minutes later, a tall Sandia forward headed home a corner kick. 1-1. The rest of the half the Academy dictated play but couldn’t connect the last pass and shoot on net. With time winding down, left defensive back Kaden Ellini ’25 played a beautiful long pass on the ground to the feet of Chase Jones ’26. Jones turned and drove at the defense as Academy players raced to provide options in the attack. Perhaps mindful that the perfect last pass had eluded the team for most of the half, Jones took on the defense himself and drove home a blistering shot. 2-1.
Coming out of halftime, the team felt like it had answers for Sandia. Once again, the Academy struck quickly. Giermakowski received a ball behind the defense. As the keeper rushed out, he faked a shot and dropped a sly pass to Peter Jakiche ’25 who passed the ball into the open net. 3-1. Maybe now the Academy could enjoy a comfortable lead and finish out the game in style? Instead, just three minutes later, Sandia struck on a defensive break-down and then again just three minutes after that. With 28 minutes left, the Academy was in a dogfight, tied 3-3.
Based on the last few games, the concern on the sidelines was that the team would not be able to muster a response. Sandia almost scored again, but goalie Zach Sena ’25 made two outstanding saves, coming aggressively off his line. As the clock wound down, the Academy played with urgency. Captain Townes Richardson ’25 cut off a Sandia pass and rushed up the field, delivering a pass to Jones on the right who finished powerfully. 4-3. Just three minutes later, Richardson did it again, this time finding Ben Morgan ’25 on the left who hit a one-touch outside of the foot bending shot into the far side-netting. 5-3.
The game had, perhaps, been harder than it needed to be, but the team had responded. The Academy is now 6-4 and building momentum for district competition.