Boys Soccer Districts Preview

At 6 p.m. on Oct. 30, FHN boys soccer will begin their postseason journey with an away game against Pattonville. The team’s goal is to win Districts, but in order to do that, North must win the first game. The other teams North has a possibility of facing are Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood West, and McCluer North.

“Our main goal is to win,” Varsity assistant coach Zach Fettig said. “That’s the bottom line; you lose you go home. You just gotta find a way to win- it doesn’t have to be pretty.”

According to the players and coaches, Districts is very winnable, but it will not be easy.

“You never know what will happen,” Fettig said. “We beat Pattonville earlier in the season, so they will be coming for us. If we play the way we are capable, we can compete with the best in the area.”

Captains Keegan Fouch and Mason Kaatman, according to Fettig, need to step-up and lead in order for the team to be successful. Junior Gabe Rish is hoped to be “the ace in the hole” because of his performances over the past couple of weeks. Other players are hoping to lead their team to victory as well.

“I need to lead by example and get everyone fired up before the game and make sure they are ready to play,” Senior Andy Bartell said.

Through Districts, the team will be working on aspects of their game such as movement off the ball, pressuring, team defending, teamwork, and staying focused the entire game.

“We need to work together as a team and do everything we have worked on all year,” Bartell said.

There are two more games preceding Districts. One game is Tuesday, Oct. 23 against Holt and the other is Thursday, Oct. 25 against De Smet. Currently the team’s record is 6-14.

“I think [these games] will help us prepare,” Fettig said. “From here on, there are no easy games. The whole season builds to this point.”