This season, the Pine Crest boy’s soccer team has posted a record of 4 wins, 5 losses, and 3 ties. Most recently, the team suffered a tragic defeat to rival North Broward Prep and are now looking to bounce back. Throughout most of the season, the Panthers have been without several of their strongest players due to injury, including junior Max Krieg (wrist) and senior captain Brandon Danzansky (hamstring).  Statistically, Junior Jack Marchetto has led the team thus far with 4 goals and 7 assists.  In addition, the Panthers were also forced to play without junior striker Ryan Driscoll for six weeks, who returned to the lineup in their recent loss to North Broward.

The absence of key players allowed freshmen, such as David Lederman and Garon Joannuo, to step in and contribute monumentally in starting roles.  Now that the entire team is finally healthy, the Panthers are looking to build momentum and get on a roll before heading into Districts.

On what is expected of the team in Districts, Danzansky commented, “The sky is the ceiling for this team.  I believe that we could make a run this year with the talent we have.” While it is normally difficult for a team to regain chemistry and composure after having key players return to the lineup after injury, Senior George Gorguisheli believed this was not the case with PCFC. “I thought that it might take a while for the team to gel again. However, we played pretty well against North Broward. We put up a good fight, and hopefully we will be able to beat them next time we play.”  It is also hard on the coach when a team loses some of its key players.  Danzansky believes Coach Olaf handled the team’s unfortunate situation well.  “I think that Coach has done a good job managing his players throughout the season.  He has been able to play the younger kids more often due to the injuries and because of that they have gained valuable experience.”  This experience should help the Panthers as they get ready for Districts, as team depth will prove to be beneficial in the playoffs.  This Wednesday, be sure to come out and support your Panthers on Senior Night, as the team looks for a big win before storming into Districts!