Natalia Rivera Banuet / The SWC Sun
The Southwestern Jaguars men’s soccer team has won four times with one loss against Arizona Western.
The Southwestern Jaguars men’s soccer team hasn’t had a winning season in three years. Which make their current record of seven wins and just one loss a remarkable turnaround.
Southwestern College Head Coach, Luis Cardona said the team only had one goal heading into this year.
“To win the league,” he said. Obviously we all wanna win the state title, but we’re going step by step. We win the league, our conference, and then, hopefully, the state title.”
Men’s Soccer played against LA Harbors, winning scores of 2-1 on Sept. 11 at the Jaguars Stadium. Hoping for a winning season after three years, the team will face Palomar College in its first conference game Sept. 20.
Cardona said part of this year’s success is the fact that the program brought on 17 new soccer players. More depth means the team is a lot more competitive in every position.
“We have a very solid backline, four keepers on our roster, and all four are phenomenal,” he said. “One sophomore, three freshmen, and, any of them can get started at any moment. Our sophomore Ramses, he’s really solid overall.”
Freshman center back Luis Navarro, who is majoring in business, describes his perspective on being a new player.
“The people, and the soccer team, I’m new in the school, I really like the soccer team, and the school,” he said.
Navarro also added on, “It’s gonna be a good year, and if we keep doing the same things from this year, the next one is gonna be a good year.”
Majoring in criminal justice, Sophomore left wing Jesus Valenzuela. Jesus is trying to graduate with a criminal justice degree and hopes to accomplish that soon.
“We’ve honestly already improved a lot. I feel like it was more the character wise of each individual,” he said. ”Everybody here wants to win, to be something in life, and I think just with that mindset, that was switched on.”
