Tensions were at an all-time high as both the Parker and Latin Varsity Soccer teams took the field at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday of homecoming weekend. The atmosphere was nothing less than perfect: a bright and sunny 77˚F with no clouds in the sky.

Earlier in the day, the Colonels had won the Junior Varsity game 2-1. Goals scored by freshman Charlie Moog and Latin’s own defense had propelled the JV Colonels to an important victory.

“It was a great win for us,” Head JV coach Patrick Stanton said. “Our boys went out there and fought hard, and it showed.”

The stage was set for the afternoon’s premiere event.

Bagpipers brought both teams out to the center of the field in front of hundreds of fans. With some sporting orange and others dark blue, parents, alumni, family, friends, and students were all present and intermixed for the game.

“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous in front of all of those people,” senior captain Eli Malkin, a starting center defender, who  played almost every minute of every game, said. Malkin sustained an injury to his right foot in the 10th minute. “I had to play through that,” he said. “It was the homecoming game. I couldn’t just sit out.”

Each team’s starting eleven took the field, and the opening whistle blew.

After applying heavy pressure to Parker’s defensive line, Latin took an early 1-0 lead when senior center back Aidan Cozzi scored with his left foot in the 22nd minute. The Romans caught the Colonels off guard with a short corner kick that led to outside defender Owen Burg setting Cozzi up with a perfect opportunity to capitalize.

“It was a textbook play,” Parker’s Assistant Varsity Coach Dylan Pender said. “They simply caught us off guard. Great strike by him as well.”

The Romans almost doubled their lead when striker Connor Olsen created an opportunity that left him alone with Colonel goalkeeper and senior Julian Rothschild. Olsen struck the ball toward the left post–and into a diving Rothschild.

“I have no idea how he didn’t score,” junior Nico Cuesta said. “All of us on the bench already thought it was over when Julian made the best save of the season.”

With the Romans leading 1-0 at halftime, the Colonels came out looking to overcome the deficit in the second half.

Although Parker had a few good opportunities to capitalize, the Romans held on until the final whistle. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wiggin got his fifth shutout of the season, and Latin’s record improved to (12-2).

“There was no goal in the second half, but I thought it was a really intense 40 minutes,” former Parker student Cole Rodby said. Rodby also acknowledged the stress he felt during his experiences playing against Latin. “In middle school, the games against Latin were always the most important. I felt like I was obligated to come and see the rivalry.”

Parker and Latin’s varsity soccer teams do not meet again this season, so it was a very bittersweet ending of the rivalry for the seniors on both sides. “We fought hard and left it all out on the field,” senior midfielder Bill Coyle said. “I know I’ll be holding my head high when I look back on this game.”