With the school year and fall sports in full swing, the Wayland boys soccer team is ready to fight for their place at the top of the DCL.

The consensus of the team is that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Warriors season last year.

“We have 16 games this year compared to the eight we had last year,” junior Ryan Prince said. “We can also hang out after school unlike last year because of the Covid restrictions, we still have restrictions, but they are just less strict.”

Being allowed to bond with the team outside of school allows the team to build chemistry and connect with each other, making it easier on the field.

“There are a lot of guys on the team last year that I feel like I know much better this year compared to last year.” Prince said.

The Warriors are led by three senior captains in Ben Chen, Jackson Dresens and Jonny Goldin. Being named a captain is a major achievement in the boys soccer program.

“To me, honestly, it’s a really big honor,” senior captain Ben Chen said. “I was on the team with Jackson and Jonny as freshmen, and now to be named captains together for our senior season, it’s like a homage because we came up together and this is probably something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

The Warriors aren’t just stars on the field, but in the community as well.

“I have plans for some community service that could be representing Wayland soccer,” Chen said.

The classroom is also very important to the Warriors, as head coach David Gavron preaches academic success and won’t allow players to play if grades drop.

“School is very important to us,” Prince said. “Coach has made it clear he wants all of us to sit at the front of every class we are in and work as hard as we can.”

These players are focused in every way but still maintain good form on the pitch. Wayland soccer practices are known for being very tough, but the Warriors all know that it’s what needs to be done to be successful. Players do whatever they can to make the team better and whatever coach Gavron asks of them.

“My individual goal is to score goals, set up my teammates, and ultimately just be the best player I can be,” Prince said.

Wayland opened the season at home versus the Acton-Boxborough Colonials. Unfortunately, the Warriors took the loss in the fixture, but they believe they should have come out on top.

“I think we dominated,” junior Leighton Quinn said. “Anyone who watched the game saw that we were the far better team. It just stinks that sometimes you can dominate a game, but still lose. I think everyone did a great job, and it was great to see how well we could keep possession.”

The Warriors are a tough team, and they will look to make sure that this loss doesn’t get to them. They played really well together, and for a team with high hopes, that is a good sign.

“I don’t think it affects us at all,” Quinn said. “Obviously we would have loved to start the season off with a win, but I think it gives us confidence that we were able to dominate a game like that. AB have always been a good team, and the way we outplayed them shows that we are going to be a problem for a lot of really good teams this year.”

Nevertheless, the main task at hand is out on the pitch and the Warriors aren’t letting anything distract them.

“Our goal is to win a state championship and do whatever it takes to make it happen,” Chen said.

Currently, Wayland sits at 2-1-1 after two consecutive wins against Boston Latin and Bedford. The team travels to Lincoln Sudbury on Sept. 29.