The boys soccer team will play Marcus tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at Marcus Marauder Stadium. The team’s district game will be against their rival, Marcus, as they hope to keep the 7-0 undefeated record going.

Head coach Matthew Zimmerman said he believes both physical and mental factors affected the team last season where they finished with a losing record in district games

“I think their mentality this year is what sets them apart from last year’s team,” Zimmerman said. “Last year, the moment got pretty big for them. They got a little nervous here or there, and we kind of unraveled in [the] district [game] this year. They’re older this year. They know [now] what to expect.”

Zimmerman points out how playing against Marcus as the team’s first district game is raising the stakes. Marcus has four wins and two losses before their district season begins. 

“They’re not as strong as they have been in the past, but Marcus is always dangerous,” Zimmerman said. “They’re well-coached. Coach [Sam] Garza over there is an alumni from one of their state championship years. He always has them well put together.”

Lewisville is considered by many to be one of the tougher districts, athletically, in Texas. This season, Zimmerman wants to focus on building the team’s morale and confidence in their plays. 

“I think, more than anything else, it’s the confidence,” Zimmerman said. ”What’s going to happen when that first loss comes? What’s going to happen when that first moment of adversarial challenges presents itself? [Are you] going to shy away from those moments, or are you going to step up and attack those challenges, taking them head-on?”

He hopes for the team to keep its 7-0 record as they progress into district games. 

“This year, as I said, the confidence is there,” Zimmerman said. “We’re executing better, and once again, can we rise to the occasion mentally when things are going our way?”