Boys Soccer

The CRLS Boys Varsity Soccer team had its most successful season to date since joining the DCL in 2014. The team finished its season with a 4-1-3 mark, going undefeated after dropping its first game to a strong Bedford side. After a 2019 season in which the team made it to the state playoffs for the first time since joining the league (losing to a state semifinalist Lincoln-Sudbury squad), the team was incredibly hopeful. Only two senior starters were lost from that groundbreaking team, and returned a strong and deep junior class. Captain Ian Rauh ’21 commented, “I think last year especially bringing the league champions to penalties was a big accomplishment for us, but it wasn’t enough, so there was this sense of dissatisfaction that we had carried on into this season.” The pandemic threw a wrench in most of these aspirations, yet when the team was presented with the chance to compete for a league title, the players dedicated themselves to the opportunity that they were given. The champion CRLS squad was built on its defensive prowess—only conceding three goals in eight games, including six shutouts. Despite some early struggles with scoring, the team managed to round into form during the DCL playoffs, finishing the season scoring two goals against Wayland in the semifinals, and three in the championship match versus Weston. Rauh went on, “Winning [the championship] this year goes to show that we made the best of the opportunity that we were presented; it definitely sucks that we couldn’t play a real season, but we definitely capitalized on the fact that we had a shorter season.”