Soccer in November never gets old for Skaneateles.
“The fact that it’s a beautiful, sunny day in November and we’re still playing soccer on the last possible day to be played, it really doesn’t get any better,” Lakers head coach Pete O’Connor said.
“It’s great that this is the fourth year that our players get to know this is the last practice of the year, so I’m just excited for this weekend now,” junior Carter Corbett said.
The Lakers have built a powerhouse in Section III, three consecutive Class B crowns in Central New York.
What You Need To Know
- The Skaneateles boys soccer team is the two-time defending NYS Class B champions
- Deep playoff runs are becoming the norm for them, but this year is a little different
- Belief is driving them as well as a popular TV show, Ted Lasso
Not to mention, two-time defending champions in the class in the state.
“Everyone on our team loves each other, so the chemistry is just unreal,” Corbett said. “When we’re playing, it doesn’t matter if something bad happens. We always have each other’s back, even through the highs and lows. We’re always looking forward to the next good thing that can happen, which right now is winning a state championship.”
It’s a team that believes in itself, with an interesting way of showing it.
“They believed,” O’Connor said following their Sectional title over Marcellus. “This is something Carter Corbett did for us.”
“Believe” written on something yellow, a subtle comparison to the TV show Ted Lasso, where actor Jason Sudeikis portrays an American soccer coach in England’s Premier League.
“I think it was the Marcellus game. He comes down the isle with a croc and we all kiss it,” senior Casey Kenan said. “He’s telling us to kiss it and we’re like, ‘we’re not kissing a croc. That’s gross.’ But we all ended up doing it, and we won so we were like, ‘this is a great tradition, let’s keep doing it.’ It’s also a bit superstition.”
“It’s definitely a tribute to that, but it’s also encouraging our guys, also allows them to focus, think about a show, have some fun beforehand. So it can help them lock in or loosen up, so they lock in so they can play really well,” Corbett added.
It’s something that O’Connor said could become Lakers lore if they win the whole thing again.
“They embody what is right about sports,” O’Connor said. “They fight hard, work for each other, enjoy each other. They’re really good kids and deserving of this opportunity, and I hope we make the most of it.”
Championship weekend starts early Saturday against Section II’s Mechanicville with a spot in Sunday’s final on the line.
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