High School Soccer:
After Erratic Start, Eagles Hope They Have Their Feet Under Them

By Sean Keegan
SJSports Student Corespondent

After a preseason ranking of 16th in South Jersey, the Edgewood Eagles took off. They breezed through the first week, and half of their schedule, defeating previously #4 Eastern, Pitman, Gloucester Tech, and Oakcrest along the way.

So as these proud Eagles marched into school on Monday, with newspapers under their arms reading "Edgewood #6 in South Jersey", they were anxious to benefit from their undefeated status. They left school Monday and traveled to Camden Catholic, confident that their perfect record would not tarnish. The first half of this game saw a sloppy Edgewood team perhaps underestimating their opponents. However, as the game ended in a 1-1 tie, the Eagles concentrated on the 0 that separated the 4 and the 1 in their record. Undefeated still, they prepared to host Triton on Wednesday.

They took the field on Wednesday against a Triton team that has always given them trouble due to their physical and passing game. When added to an overconfident Edgewood team, the result was all bad for Edgewood. They received nine cards in their 0-2 loss. The game was a disgrace to most onlookers.

Finally, the Eagles hung their heads in shame as they realized that it was not going to be as easy as they thought. The truth is, they were soaring on that #6 ranking and the reputation of being the best team in Edgewood.

It could be presumed that their sadness was caused by the loss of these prizes, however this was not the case. The Eagles erased those factors from their minds, concentrating now on themselves and their schedule, which by the way doesn't get any easier.

So now, with no newspapers and a blemish on their record, the Eagles went back to their skill. This team possessed much more talent than it was credited for, and they knew that if they jelled together and played their best, that was the only way the division title would be theirs. So they came back to the site of their awakening on Friday to face their rivals, Overbrook.

Overbrook had beaten Triton, and was hungry to continue their string of upsets. The final score of Edgewood 3 and Overbrook 2 does not show the domination by Edgewood. The ball remained in the Overbrook half for most of the game, and Edgewood won easily.

Easily not because they were ranked higher or because they were expected to win, but because they outplayed their opponents from horn to horn.The Eagles know now that every game will mean something, and that they will have to play their best to win. It is a good thing that they woke up this week, because next week's schedule reads:

Monday: Shawnee
Wednesday: Lenape
Thursday: Bishop Eustace