“Change” will be a key word for the Sedona Red Rock High School boys soccer team as it takes the pitch for the upcoming season. Chief among the changes that the Scorpions want to see will be the team’s success.

Sedona struggled in soccer a season ago, going 2-11. While that team was young, this team will be even younger, with nine freshmen on board. But while those freshmen are young, they have experience in soccer. That gives the returning players reason to be upbeat about this team.

“I think we’re going to have a better season this year,” sophomore Korbin Burke said. “Because of our seniors and also because our freshman are experienced. They’re not new to soccer. That gives me hope for the season.”

Another change the Scorpions are facing this year is the return to fall soccer after SRRHS had spent the last decade playing in the winter. A number of the Sedona players enjoy playing basketball in the winter. This move will allow that. It’s also allowed two starters from last season’s boys basketball team — Jaiah Grondin and Carlos Parra-Landaverde — to play soccer.

Those players, in addition to the incoming freshmen, have helped bring a new energy to the field during the early season practices.

“We’re looking energetic,” sophomore Max Metzger said. “We’ve got a lot of freshmen but we’ve also got some new seniors like Jaiah and Carlos. I think
that we’re going to have a better season this year.”

The move to the fall will also enable the Scorpions to play local rival Camp Verde, something that the current SRRHS athletes haven’t been able to do in soccer. One of the things the Scorpions are looking forward to doing is rekindling the rivalry with the Cowboys on the pitch. While the schedule is official, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic makes all games tentative. But, according to the current schedule, the two teams are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. in Camp Verde.

In addition to Camp Verde and other new opponents, the Sedona players are also anticipating a different style of soccer in the warmer weather.

“I think it’s going to give us a new experience,” junior Brandon Arias said. “We’re used to playing in the cold. Now it’s warmer weather. The experience
throughout the game is going to be different. There will be more switches throughout the game.”

Looking ahead at the season, the Scorpions have some set goals in place like finishing with a winning record and hopefully qualifying for the state playoffs. But they also know that they can’t look too far ahead and have their eyes set on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. when they open the season at home against Payson.

“We want to accomplish making the playoffs and from there, move on,” Metzger said. “One game at a time.”

“We’ve got to go game by game,” Burke added. “Win one then the next. Keep proving that you are the superior team.”