The boys soccer season has just started. The Surprise Independent asked the local coaches for their outlook on the season.

DYSART DEMONS

4A Black Canyon Region
2021-22 Record: 14-4-1 overall, 5-0 region (reached quarterfinals of 4A playoffs)
Coach: Jose Partida (fifth year as Dysart head coach)
Top Returnees: MF Augustin Orozco, Sr. (23 goals, 17 assists), David Flores, Sr., (23 goals, 11 assists)
How many years have you coached soccer? I’m in my seventh year of coaching at Dysart HS. This will be my fifth year as head coach. Before Dysart I was the head girl’s coach at Buckeye Union High School for three years. Overall I have been coaching soccer for 25 years.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our chemistry is our best attribute. These boys genuinely love playing with each other. They have trust and confidence in their teammates abilities.
What will your team need to improve for this season to be a success? We have a few new athletes that need to get into the same chemistry of our returning players. Staying healthy towards the end of the season will be key. Injuries didn’t help us in the playoffs.
Who are your team leaders? There are more than a few leaders on our team, they all have accountability as this is their team. I do have a couple to mention in particular, Seniors Agustin Orozco, David Flores, Wesley Wunderlich and Oscar Mendez.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Goalkeeper Luis Galindo and forward Aron Curiel.
What are some of the more anticipated games on your schedule? We are hosting a district tournament this season and our first game is against Sierra Linda, which was a 5A playoff team. First game of the season is always a big one. Our rivalry with 6A Valley Vista is always a fun one. Most anticipated will be our region. Four teams (Coronado, Cortez, Dysart, and Tempe) in our region were playoff teams. We are in the region of death for the 4A Conference. The tournament during the week of 11/28 to 12/2 will have all our district teams and other local teams. It’s the district inaugural “Battle of the 303” boys soccer tournament. Next year we will be adding the girls into it.

HIGHLAND PREP HONEY BADGERS

3A Central Region
2021-22 Record: 6-4 (in fall 2021 season)
Coach: Jennifer Rodda (first season as Highland Prep coach)
How many years have you coached soccer? Eight. First year at Highland Prep
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Teamwork and communication.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Continuing to build on the teamwork and communication, conditioning, and control.
Who are your team leaders? Juniors Kaleb Barron-Guzman, Alexander Perez and Isaiah Sanchez. 
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact?Kaleb Barron-Guzman returns to varsity this year after missing last season. He will be in goal and is expected to make an impact. Ethan Kollar is a freshman who will be playing varsity this year. He brings years of experience, control, and maturity to the team.
What are some of the more anticipated games on your schedule? We are looking forward to all of our games, as we are new to this league.

PARADISE HONORS PANTHERS

4A Skyline Region
2021-22 Record: 3-12-1 overall, 0-5 region
Coach: Marcia Johnson (fourth year as Paradise Honors head coach)

Top Returnees: F Ethan Olari, Soph. (9 goals), D Connor Bwen, Jr., (51 steals, 5 assists)
How many years have you coached soccer? I have coached soccer for 15 years. Five years with Paradise Schools, four years as head coach.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Speed. We have a lot of speed on the team. We are very young with the bulk of our players being sophmores.
What will your team need to improve for this season to be a success? Playing together as a team and not individuals.
Who are your team leaders? Keeper Dakota Terrel and center back Connor Bowen
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? JJ LaTorre. He is a foreign exchange student from Chile and he loves soccer! He is very fast and controls the middle very well.
What are some of the more anticipated games on your schedule? We are in a brand-new region this year. The last five games are all regional games. We have the first part of the season to become a team and work out the kinks. We are introducing a new culture to this program and I believe we will have a very successful year!

SHADOW RIDGE STALLIONS

6A West Valley Region
2021-22 Record: 10-10-1 overall, 3-2 region
Coach: Andrew Engwall (fourth year as SRHS coach)
Top Returnees: F Aidan Murray, Sr., (8 goals, assist); F Jacob Engwall, Soph., (7 goals, assist).
How many years have you coached soccer? I have coached soccer since 2010. I started coaching in Europe with at nursery level, and then went to professional level.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Shadow’s best attribute is our balance of youth and upperclassmen and our overall depth at every position: our leading goal scorer last season is now a senior, Aidan Murray, and our second leading goal scorer, Jacob Engwall, is now a sophomore.
Who are your team leaders? Our team leaders and captains are both seniors: Dominic Calandra and Brayden Herrera.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Some of the newcomers to our varsity squad are now sophomores, and we anticipate continued contributions in every third of the pitch.
What are some of the more anticipated games on your schedule? We are eagerly anticipating the matches versus Cibola in freedom play, and Tolleson and Chavez in region play.

WILLOW CANYON WILDCATS

5A Northwest Region
2021-22 Record: 1-13-1 overall, 1-4 region
Coach: Brandon Seay (second year as Willow Canyon head coach)
How many years have you coached boys soccer? I have been coaching soccer for 12 years, school and club. This is my second year as varsity coach and my third for WCHS.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our best attribute this season is our athleticism. We have a new strength and conditioning coach, Clay Bewely, who has drastically improved our athleticism.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? To be a success and improve this season, we need to find patterns of play and trust the tactical plan laid out for each opponent.
Who are your team leaders? A few of the many team leaders are Aaron Macias and Hayden Smith.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Some of the newcomers to varsity are: freshman Matias Pedraza, senior Angel Esquivel and sophomores Tyler Reeded and Xavier Diaz.
What are some of the more anticipated games on your schedule? We feel that every game is a chance to improve and that every game in our conference is important. The most anticipated game for us is against Ironwood.