Photo Courtesy of Paul Julian
The Hastings High Boys Soccer team comes in with a positive mentality for the 2025-2026 season, after losing one game away from the championship in last year’s state tournament.
Currently, the Tigers are ranked third in Class B preseason polls. Schuyler High School, the returning state champion and team the Tigers lost to during the semifinal game last year, are ranked first.
“Last year’s outcome honestly affects us in a positive way, as we all want is to use that as motivation to improve from last season,” senior Jose Mares said. “We learned that it takes a lot to make it to state, and we want to work to the best of our abilities to get back.”
But, the team does not only want to make it to state again. They want to come back stronger and hopefully take home a state championship.
“As a team, we are really confident that we can return to the tournament as serious contenders for the state title and maybe even win it all,” senior Aaron Guzman said with excitement.
Head Coach Chris Pedroza, alongside Assistant Coaches Julio Carreto and Christian Lomax, will be leading the Tigers.
“We have been preparing for this season by working every day and doing what our coaches instruct,” senior Alex Amaya said. “We have a great coaching staff who wants the absolute best for all of us.”
Alongside physical training and recovering their bodies, the team emphasizes having good team chemistry and creating a family atmosphere.
“We played in various tournaments and leagues together in the offseason,” Amaya said. “We did this so that the younger guys can get a clear idea of what high school soccer is like and so we could focus on creating a good relationship with one another, which leads to chemistry on the field.”
The Tigers ended last season 21-2, with their only losses being to Bennington and Schulyer during the semifinals at state. However, the team is speculating one of their toughest games of this season to be against Lexington High School, which falls second on their schedule this year.
“Lexington has always been a tough opponent for us,” Guzman said. “Last year marked the first victory against them in a couple years, and we are really focusing on finding ways to score and avoiding mistakes when it comes to game day.”
The team is led by six returning seniors and three foreign exchange students. Kevin Olvera Navaratte and Amaya are leading the team as captains on and off the field.
“Kevin and Alex are great examples of hard workers,” Mares said. “Our seniors have all taken a big step when it comes to leadership, and we know what is expected of them because we had a great example last year.”
The upperclassmen also believe that the underclassmen will play a significant role this season.
“[The underclassman] have been fitting in with the team, and our recent practices have shown really good potential,” Guzman said. “I think they will be a huge factor in our success.”
The upperclassmen are in agreement that they are coming back just as strong as last season although the team graduated eight seniors after the 2024-2025 season.
“The team will work for what we want, and we are still a team qualifiable for the state tournament,” Amaya said. “We will be satisfied when we accomplish the goals we have set.”
The Tigers face a long schedule with 12 regular-season games, as well as conference and tournament games at the end of the season.
“We need to maintain consistency throughout the season,” Guzman said. “It has always been crucial for our team, and with a long season ahead, we need to go into every game with the same intensity and pace.”
They will play their first home game against Kearney Catholic on March 31. Before heading off in the season, the team has one final message: their fans are their fuel, and they love everyone’s support.
“I urge everyone to come out and support us,” Guzman said. “Last year’s support was fantastic and always motivated us to perform better. Even if you can only catch a few minutes of a game, we greatly appreciate it.”
