Brookelynn Hodgin | Writer
January 30, 2022
Currently ranked first in South Coast League, the San Clemente boys soccer team is running through their season with an impressive 8-2-3 record as of this week. Their last game was played against Capistrano Valley, who they beat 1-0.
After being stripped of another successful playoff run in the 2019-2020 season due to COVID restrictions following winning CIF the year prior, the Tritons are hoping for a strong finish to their first full season since 2019.
With a senior-heavy roster this season—10 out of 19 players graduating this year—there is already strong bond established with this year’s team. But there is always room to grow. “We’re continuing to build a special bond with each other,” senior captain Niko Kaczmarczyk said.
The boys soccer program has been historically successful and is continuing to expand on that success on both a regional and national level. The secret to that success is the culture and relationship the team has created. “Our chemistry as a team comes into play every game of the season,” Kaczmarczyk noted.
Kaczmarczyk committed to play men’s soccer at Point Loma Nazarene University in December. PLNU is currently ranked second in the PacWest conference. Playing for a competitive school is important, but it was more than just the program’s success and growth that pushed him towards Point Loma.
“There’s no better field to play on overlooking the ocean,” Kaczmarczyk says. “The coaching staff connects with their players on a very personal level, which is important to me. Also I can play while also building a close relationship with God.”
Kaczmarczyk has been playing soccer since the age of three, and playing in college has been the goal for him ever since he could remember. Excelling at the sport at a young age, he was invited to private camps internationally and earned recognition within the club sector as a player to watch during the season. He was able to bring that success and skill into high school soccer, where he earned a spot on the incredibly competitive San Clemente varsity boys soccer roster his sophomore year.
With the fall sport season dwindling down, the SCHS program only has two games left of the regular season. The Tritons will play San Juan Hills and El Toro.
Make sure to fill the stands this upcoming Tuesday at 4:45 PM as the Tritons take on the Stallions!
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