After a disappointing season last year (3-17), the Parkway South Patriots have turned to new head coach, Kyle Forthaus. Forthaus has not disappointed this season, leading the Patriots to a 5-2 record at press time. The Patriots have already surpassed their win total last year in their first four games this season.
The leading scorer so far for the Patriots, with 7 goals, is junior Max Bollinger.
“Coach Forthaus has done an excellent job keeping the team motivated to start the season by hyping the team up every chance he gets,” he said.
Forthaus has changed the Patriots from a 3-1-4-2 formation, good for moving the ball around the midfield, to a more simplistic 4-4-2 formation, which is more of a defensive formation.
Anikait Rawat is a senior midfielder for the Patriots.
“The 4-4-2 formation has helped a lot. It is great for having extra support in the defensive zone and has really helped shape our team,” he said.
Along with the team making great strides, so have juniors Ethan Carroll and John Tanurchis.
Zach Cravens, captain of this year’s team, a junior defensive midfielder, commented on why Carroll has made such big improvements.
“his leadership on the field as well as off the field [has made a big impact on the team]” he said.
Carroll is leading the Patriots in assists this season (4), and is also second in points (6).
Tanurchis, who leads the team in blocked shots (14), which is over double the next closest player, is considered, “a big leader on the field, although he was not named a captain,” according to Rawat.
“He does a great job communicating on the field and letting people know where they need to be,” Rawat said.
One of the Patriots’ strengths this year is their team chemistry according to Coach Forthaus and a few of his players.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a group gel as quickly as this group. Their chemistry and work ethic has been a major contribution to their success,” Coach Forthaus said about this year’s varsity squad.
Bollinger agrees.
“Teamwork and comradery are the team’s biggest strengths,” Bollinger said.
Cravens added his thoughts.
“The team has been so successful this season because of our chemistry and dedication,” he said.
The team started the season with a win streak of 4 games. The first was a win over Eureka (3-0) for the first time in 22 years, with goals scored by Nathaniel Kim (46’), Anikait Rawat (65’), and Max Bollinger (76’).
“Eureka has been the biggest game of the year so far. Having that big of a win against a team we’ve struggled against in the past was huge for us,” Cravens said.
However, Coach Forthaus says there’s more to come for the Patriots.
“Eureka was a big win for us. But I don’t think it will be the last big win,” he said.
