Chemistry, mentality have the Imlay City boys soccer team in high gear

IMLAY CITY — The on-field success of the Imlay City boys soccer team didn't happen overnight. It also didn't happen over one summer, because the Spartans have been at this for awhile.

Imlay City is 59-13-6 since the 2019 season, winning two regional championships during that stretch. But what's helped make the Spartans so formidable actually began before they were in high school.

"A lot of the kids are seniors now, so that's a big plus," Imlay City coach Luis Hernandez said. "But these guys have been playing together forever, since they were kids. This is a small community. So it gives them that extra chemistry and bonding that they've been having forever."

"It makes me feel more comfortable," senior forward Juan Zepeda said. "I know the person to the right of me and the person to the left of me. I know how they play, what they're going to do and what their next move is. Compare that to if I went to a different school and everyone was (new to each other)."

"We memorize each other and we all know how we play," senior defender Luis Barragan said. "Then we just do our best."

Imlay City's "best" has been unbeatable as of late. The Spartans are 14-3-1 and have won their past six games by an average of 4.7 goals. They've also clinched the BWAC title for the seventh consecutive year.

"We've been staying consistent," Zepeda said. "Every day we've been practicing together. We've known each other for years — since we were little. So we've just got that chemistry."

Imlay City also has the right mindset.

"I think it's there," Hernandez said. "Knowing that they can do something beyond what they think of. They know how to pass the ball and do all those little details. So it's the mental part where they know they've got to stay focused."

Three sophomores in particular have stood out to Hernandez — Christopher Galiana, Nery Vega and Sebastian Salcedo.

"With those three kids in the middle, it's amazing how they can keep up with all these seniors and the mental part," Hernandez said. "And the IQ of soccer that they have, it meshes with what we have going around them."

The Spartans are hoping their ability to gel continues come playoff time. Imlay City's district tournament begins Oct. 18 at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.

"We're definitely getting ready," Barragan said. "Just working on the little things that we mess up on. In all these big games, we can't be making be making little mistakes. We've got to be 100 percent."

"In those playoff games, any little mistake can end in a goal," Zepeda said. "And that can change the whole game."

As the tournament draws near, Hernandez doesn't want his team to get too comfortable with its regular-season accomplishments.

"It's just keeping that steadiness of thinking that they haven't won anything yet," Hernandez said. "They've got to work for it. And they know that. It's that mental part and focus that we're trying to keep, so they know that in order for them to do something important, they've got to earn it. Nobody is going to give it to them."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.