Following the strong performance at the Korean International School Activities Conference (KISAC) tournament, the high school boys’ soccer team revisited Camp Walker for the inaugural triangular friendly against Daegu Middle High School (DMHS) and Busan Foreign School (BFS). The boys quickly adapted from 11-on-11 to 7-on-7, dominating both games and preparing their boots for the SKAIS tournament.
The boys flared off against the DMHS Warriors, ready to challenge them on a 7-on-7 pitch, too. Despite the absence of captain William Seok (8) and goalkeeper Brian Hyun (1), other players filled up their spot. Under the lead of captain Robert Cho (18), they applied relentless pressure against the Warriors. Charlie Park (10) debuted as the goalkeeper, utilizing his ball control to dominate possession in the smaller pitch.
“Brian Hyun had an injury and he might not be currently fully fit so we have Maddox and Charlie as our back up plan. They’re ball playing players with creative plays in the back … they do offer a lot of tactical abilities using their feet in moving forward and passing,” said Coach Purdy.
While players struggled to create goal opportunities due to the smaller goal, they quickly found their momentum. Jacob McAteer (17) opened the game with a concise finish towards the right corner of the goal.
Following the 1:0 lead, Jayden Lee (77), entering his flow state, dribbled past three DMHS defenders and netted a wonder goal. Left back Maddox Jolly (3) and right back Jason McAteer (22) solidified the back line, shutting down all passes and attacks. Park also clinched multiple saves against the Warriors’ strong shots towards the goal.
“It was my first time in the goalkeeper position, but it was pretty fun. I think I did a good job of controlling the ball and passing it around the pitch for attacking opportunities. I feel prepared to play as goalkeeper for SKAIS, if needed,” Park (10) said.
The Jets kept up their fierce offensive push. Attacking midfielder Alex Seo (12) carried the ball, spreading passes left and right towards wingers Lee (77) and McAteer (17). Trusting the defensive line, the offense pushed even stronger, ending the first half 3:0.
Entering the second half, substitutes filled up the pitch. Although they fell short of scoring additional goals through big chance opportunities, they managed to secure the lead through solid defense and high intensity.
Following the massive win, the Jets contended against the BFS Sharks. As the first matchup against a SKAIS competitor, the game allowed both teams to test each other’s strengths. Park stepped into midfield as Jolly swapped in as goalkeeper for this match.
“A much smaller size of field immediately makes it a different game and moments to score goals come pretty fast and transitions are really fast … defenders in 7 on 7 is just as important as attacking,” said Coach Purdy.
The Sharks’ tight press came as a struggle for the Jets. However, smooth passes along the backline allowed DIS to break the press and initiate a strong attack. Seo and Park demonstrated clean give-and-go in the midfield, carving out opportunities for the boys’ to score.
Carrying on their momentum, they got their lead through Jacob McAteer’s concise finish towards the goal post. Afterwards, continuing on their attack, McAteer (17) drew a penalty in the box. Cho (18) took a clean shot and fired the ball into the net. With a 2:0 lead, the first half came to an end.
Just like the DMHS match, substitutes filled up the second half. With exhaustion from the hot weather, the squad quickly lost their energy, conceding a goal. Despite small blunders, they consolidated the win.
With valuable experience on the 7-on-7 pitch, the Jets await to compete in the SKAIS tournament on May 30, where they hope to contend for gold. Back with both a strong varsity and JV roster, the boys plan to strengthen their plays until the final whistle of preparation.
“They’re doing great and they are more than ready. Keep their confidence and attitude high on practice and give 100% of SKAIS and they should be ready to come back with a gold,” said Coach Purdy.
