The varsity boys’ soccer team will be playing its toughest component of the season Friday when it takes on Montverde, one of the nation’s premiere programs. To make the challenge even more difficult, the Wildcats will be playing without seniors Dylan O’Brien, who has a fractured tibia and Abram Murphy, who has a knee injury.

Montverde is a private sports academy that recruits players not just throughout the U.S., but throughout the world. 

“I think it will be a close game, but it’s hard to tell because they bring a different team every year,” senior Liam Wiles said. “Across the board they move the ball extremely well and each of the players are very skilled with the ball. This is going to make it very difficult to defend against.”

To prepare for such a big game, junior Chase Hester said the tough schedule from the past three weeks has given his squad good practice.

“Currently we are working on getting our subs more playing time to develop them as players and we’ve been able to do that throughout the season,” Hester said.

The game will be held at Montverde after the junior varsity match at 5:30 p.m..

“We aren’t doing anything special to prepare because how we see it, it’s just another game,” Wiles said. “If we play the way we always do, we can play with them and get a result. We just need to work hard and play as a team.”

By Bailey Hetzel