ST. PIUS X BOYS ARE GETTING BACK TO THEIR WINNING WAYS
The St. Pius X boys soccer program has 18 state championships, and they would like to win number 19 this season. “We’re looking to get back to where we want to be every year, which is the top of the mountain,” said head coach A.J. Herrera. “Expectations are definitely high, that’s where we want the program to be and that’s where this program is.”
The Sartans made it to the state final each of the last two years, winning it all in 2023, but coming up short in penalty kicks last season.
“We’re not thinking about that anymore,” said senior captain Ethan Wright. “It’s in the past, we’re moving forward now. The expectation is high. We are trying to go all the way this year.”
“We did it the past two years, I think we can do it again,” said senior Didier Herrera. “Obviously, we fell short. For me, it’s motivation. This has to be the year. I want to be able to do what we didn’t do last year and finish it off.”
The captains and head coach all say the goal is a state title, but they don’t feel the pressure. “I wouldn’t say there’s pressure,” said senior Mateo Certain. “That’s always the goal and the expectation, and we definitely have the talent to do that.”
“Like the saying goes, ‘Pressure is earned’, and that’s something that we always want,” said the head coach. “I hope the guys feel some pressure, but the healthy pressure. We also want to enjoy the season and have a great time and play at a high level.”
Head coach A.J. Herrera knows something about winning. He won four straight state titles as a player with St. Pius X. “It’s one of those things where I coach with a lot of passion, I used to play with a lot of passion and that’s what I want to give to the players.”
The Sartans have a state finals rematch with rival Albuquerque Academy coming up this month on September 16th.
