After starting the season with two ties, the Sedona boys soccer team has won its last two games and looks to keep the trend going.

At 2-0-2, the Scorpions are facing crunch time with nine games over the next three weeks, including their last six on the road.

Scorpions defender Carlos Landaverde shared the team’s outlook and gave his personal take on other soccer topics.

 Who has helped you get to where you are as a soccer player?
I think my entire team has done a great job at helping me get to where I am. They push me and make me want to improve everyday we are on the field. My teammates know how to motivate me as well as have fun so I never want to come off the field.
Off the field, my mom has helped motivate me the most to get me where I am today. She pushed me at everything I did, especially when it came to soccer.
When I would not want to come to practice, she would make me and I appreciate how important that was now.

 What do you enjoy the most when you are on the field?
I enjoy just playing with my team and having a good time while we are out there. Win or lose, I still have fun no matter what because soccer is one of my favorite sports to play.

 Who is your favorite soccer player and why?
My favorite player is the Real Madrid and Spanish captain Sergio Ramos. He is a center defender and I like him because he knows when to be aggressive and when not to. He has one of the highest defensive IQs in soccer and I aspire to reach his level one day.
His height allows him to win balls in the air and he is also incredibly fast, as he was once clocked at running 19 mph.

 Do you prefer up-tempo matches or possession
matches?
I think it depends on the outcome of the game. If we are behind, then I get more intense and prefer a faster-paced game to comeback. If the game is tied or we are playing an equally-matched team, then I prefer a more possession-based approach.

 Where is your favorite spot on the field?
I like to start a run from the center part, just outside of the 18-yard box because that it is a defensive spot.

 What do you think are the most importanttraits for a good fullback?
I would say listening to others is a critical trait for fullbacks. You have to be coachable with not just the coach but your teammates as well and I think that is a skill that many great players have.

 Why do you think this team could make a playoff push?
I feel like our coaches know enough to push the team to the playoffs and hopefully semis. Hopefully, the more advanced players can help the younger players get to where they need to be for us to reach that level.
I think chemistry and working as a family help get us to that point.

 Who would you build your team around between Lionel Messi, forward and captain of both the Barcelona and the Argentina national team; Cristiano Ronaldo, forward for Italian club Juventus and captain of the Portugal national team; and Kylian Mbappé, forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team?
I would pick Lionel Messi out of those three. Although Ronaldo and Mbappé are both outstanding players, I prefer a possession style of play and I may just launch the ball/
downfield with Ronaldo and Mbappé. They might tire out in the second half and the other team could take advantage.
The Scorpions next home game is Thursday, Jan. 10, when Sedona hosts Trivium Prep.

Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.