Tracy High School’s boys’ varsity soccer team has high hopes for the upcoming season. Although they have not had their first game yet, they have been preparing for weeks.

With returning players Angelo Alejandre, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Moises Gonzalez, Jake Pranke and seven new players, junior Todd Hoffman believes the soccer team works well together. “We are an all-around solid team”.

“Some of their strengths are unity and commitment,” Head Coach Phillip Kalis said.

“For the students to become even better players, teammates, and human beings,” are goals Kalis has for the team.

With the leagues recently being rearranged in the Sac-Joaquin Section, some high schools moved, the Bulldogs being one of them. Tracy High moved out of the San Joaquin Athletic Association League and is now a part of the Tri-City Athletic League with Lincoln, Lodi, St. Mary’s, Tokay, and West. This has some of the players worried because they have never played against some of the new teams before.

“The opposing teams are way better this year. We are a young team and it will be hard playing older ones,” Hoffman said.

Only 6 out of the 17 players are seniors.  Although the varsity boys think it might be a disadvantage, Kalis knows the boys will do well.

“The only challenge will be playing the other teams three times,” he said. “It should be really fun.”

Kalis is optimistic about the season. Despite the players’ concerns, they are hoping that playoffs will be in the picture for their hard-working team.

“Our hopes are to win and do really well at playoffs,” Hoffman said. “Lodi will be our biggest competition.”

For the 2013-14 season, Lodi’s boys’ varsity soccer team’s overall final records were 11-6-3 with 54 goals scored, while Tracy’s was 10-5-2 with 46 goals scored. The Lodi Flames were also ranked 47^th in the state and the Bulldogs, 55^th in the state.

Despite the differences in statistics Kalis is only worried about only one thing, “height”. Because most of the boys on the team are younger, they are shorter than the average varsity team. “The boys’ leadership should help us to a successful season,” Kalis said.

Tracy’s varsity will travel to Tokay on, Sept.10, at 5:15 p.m. and to Lodi on Sept. 12, at 5:15 p.m.