With the upcoming season, both the girls and boys soccer teams are excited to begin a new chapter after a successful 2025 season where the girls yielded 15 wins and four losses, and the boys ended with 14 wins, four losses and 1 tie.

Though the boys and girls have varying aims for the season, both teams share the same goal: winning State Championships.

“Last year we got so close – we lost in the third round of Booker T. Washington,” junior striker and central attacking midfielder Bernard Jones said. “I’m looking forward to winning for Bishop McGuinness.”

Striving to improve themselves in the offseason, the teams believe it is important to remain in shape so players can play at their best. 

“I do cross country as my offseason work for endurance,” junior center back Cassandra Bannister said. “I play soccer year-round for my club, so I’m always playing soccer.”

Sophomore center forward Sawyer Crandall finds himself in the same boat, juggling both school and soccer. 

“I make sure to go to the fields about four times a week and just train myself to stay in shape,” Crandall said.

Senior and team captain Molly Strope emphasized the amount of work she puts into her team so they can stay motivated.

“I lead the warm-ups, send out texts and organize team meetings,” Strope said. “Overall, it’s just encouraging and supporting everyone on our team, especially the underclassmen.”

Senior James Schultz, the boys team captain, shares the same sentiments. 

“I’m basically the secondary coach, and I keep the team morale up,” Schultz said. “I want the players to look up to me for support.”

Boys Soccer Coach Paulo Lopez’s vision for the team is to play with discipline, trust each other and compete the whole 80 minutes. 

“Beyond wins and losses, I want this group to create a culture where players feel ownership and pride in the jersey,” Lopez said. “If we can build a brotherhood and raise our standard daily, that’s bigger than any scoreboard.”

Although Kyla Lovelace, the girls Soccer Coach, is new, she already has expectations set for her team.

 “I want the girls to improve every day – both individually and as a team,” Lovelace said.

Both teams have expressed their devotion to improving their skills and winning State Championships this year. They started their first game by competing against Bishop Kelley, where the boys won 2-0, and the girls won 3-0. Their next home game is March 6 against Edmond Memorial.