Mikel Mackey, ‘26, has been playing soccer since he could walk. Throughout his three years on varsity as a member of the Boulder High Boys Soccer Team, he’s accrued many accolades, like being the top-scoring junior in the program, scoring 13 goals. After his incredible and high-scoring season, he was awarded CHSAA/MaxPreps All-State Honorable Mention. Despite these accomplishments, Mackey says his proudest moment as a member of La Familia was being awarded 1st team academic all-state, a testament to his incredible athletic ability and hard work in the classroom
Last year, La Familia had an incredible record with 17 wins, one tie, and one loss. Thanks to this, the team was ranked #1 in the state and #11 in the country. Mackey was a large part of the team’s success, starting every single game last year.
Despite his immense success on the field, Mackey stated that his favorite part of being a member of La Familia is that “off the field we are all great friends and have fun together,” and “team dinners.” In terms of his favorite part of the sport as a whole, he loves “how universal the sport is; no matter where you are, you can connect with people through soccer.”
This year, the team only has two returning starters, Mackey being one of them. With that experience, as well as being a team captain, “there is a lot of responsibility to help the team build chemistry and ensure we stay focused and on track.”
Mackey is well-loved by his teammates for not only his character but also his playing abilities. James Quesenberry, ’26, had a lot to say about him: “He is a guy that everyone loves, a quiet, hardworking, and talented player. He understands the game so well and inspires others not only through words, but also through actions.” Other members of the team, like Dylan Haney, ‘26, backed Quesenberry up, saying that Mackey is a “great leader and teammate.”
Playing the 8 or 10, which are central attacking roles, Mackey’s job on the field is to control the tempo of the game and create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. In this role last year, Mackey earned 30 points at the end of the season, a combination of his goals and assists.
When asked why the team has been able to find so much success over the years, Mackey said that it can be attributed to the “teamwork and trust between players,” and their ability to push each other, stating, “At practice, we are focused on the task at hand, always working off each other to improve.”
This year, things look a bit different for Mackey. After being injured for almost 5 months and finally recovering, he is now dealing with shin splints – another setback. This issue has forced him to sit out many games this season, an experience no athlete wants to have.
Mackey hopes to be back soon, in order to play out the rest of his final season at Boulder High. This season, Mackey believes that the team “can make it all the way” in reference to earning the title of 5A state champion. Personally, he hopes that this season brings him a college commitment for soccer, but overall, he hopes to just enjoy his final season with his best friends.
The Boulder High Boys Soccer team plays their next home game on October 16th versus Riverdale Ridge High School. Show up and fill the stands to cheer the Panthers on to another win this season!
