Boulder High Soccer came into the 2024 season eager to prove themselves. They started the season with a 3-1 win at Heritage and then obliterated Legacy 9-0 after losing to them in the 2023 season.
Then came the biggest test of the season: Ralston Valley. Boulder High had been knocked out of the playoffs by the Ralston Valley Mustangs in 2023 and were hungry for revenge. However, the Panthers fell behind early and were trailing 1-0 at halftime. Then something sparked. Boulder tied it up 1-1, then took the lead with 33 minutes left. Mikel Mackey, ‘26, capped off the game in the final seconds with a beautiful chip over the goalkeeper’s head. The whole team ran over to celebrate with each other and the student section. This was a massive win for the team.
John Crowns, ‘26, thought that this performance not only got back at the team that took them out last season but was also a catalyst for the matches to come. “Dating back to last season, I remember seeing all the tears on everyone’s faces [after Ralston Valley] beat us in the playoffs. I remember the sadness as [our] players walked off the field for the last time. I think this come-from-behind win showed the ruthlessness, love, and passion that we have for the game and for each other.”
The team hasn’t looked back since their impressive win against the Mustangs. They’ve outscored opponents 36-4 so far this year. Only one of those opponents has a losing record so far. Senior Aden Heath has been stellar in goal, allowing a goal just every two matches. On the other side of the pitch, Senior Xander Sevian has led the Panthers in goals with 11 in 8 games. These outstanding performances have not gone unnoticed. As of October 3rd, 2024, Boulder High Boys Soccer is currently ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 16 in the nation.
What’s the secret to their success? Brotherhood. The team’s slogan is La Familia, which signifies Love and Effort. The slogan goes beyond these two concepts, though. Others echo this notion of a family.
As a Freshman, Sammy Zeldner has already felt its impact. He describes La Familia as “a community where everyone is loved, where players push each other to be the best version of themselves, where teammates welcome everyone in no matter what, where friends work as hard as [they] can for the guy next to [them] and a place to play the beautiful game we all love.” Very few high school teams throughout the country have the type of bonds and brotherhood that La Familia does, and this has brought them success so far.
Tensions were high heading into the Fairview game on October 1st, but La Familia handled the pressure well. The Panthers beat the Knights 2-1.
Angel Ortiz Ramirez, ‘25, says the game meant so much to him. Going into the game, he said it would be the “best feeling to beat Fairview at home” in his last year on the team.
Boulder can’t get complacent, though. They still have a lot of work left to do this season. La Familia has a chance to do something special this year. You might want to show up and watch.
