With only five minutes remaining in the Eagle’s second section match, the boys pressed forward with everything they had left. Down 3-2, they knew their only shot at advancing was by scoring another goal on the short time they had left. After losing 3-1 to Minnetonka earlier in the season, the boys knew they had to bring their game to the section 2AAA match to triumph over the team that had previously defeated them. As the rain poured down heavily, not a single Eden Prairie fan attempted to leave their rain-soaked seat, watching the ball quickly move back and forth as the Eagles fought with all they could to get one last goal. At four minutes, the crowd’s cheers became more urgent every time the ball got close to Minnetonka’s goal, player names echoing through the stands. At three, fans inched forward in their seats, the anticipation rising higher.
This moment could only be described as high stakes. If the Eagles were able to pull through and win this game, they’d face off against Edina– and if they won that, they’d become section 2AAA Champions. But with two minutes left, the ball remained on Eden Prairie’s side of the field, fans lowering back down onto the bleachers, losing hope for another goal. At one minute, players began to slow down and look at the scoreboard one last time. For the class of 2026, this would be their last time playing soccer for the Eden Prairie High School Eagles, and it was a bittersweet moment for many. As time ran out, many fans and players alike felt deflated, losing themselves in a moment of weakness. And while the boys did end their sections game with a losing score of 3-2, the season itself was something for them to look back on with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
With a winning record at the mid-way point, the boys fought with all they could at their last game against Minnetonka, and at every other. The boys had an over 30% increase in wins this season than the last due to their hard work and exceptional commitment to the team. The 2025 varsity soccer captains strived to foster this unwavering dedication by promoting all of the things that made the team work so well this year. Led by Zeljko Vucinic, Nathan Peters, Jimi Plantage, and Josh Cook, the boys put up a strong fight throughout the season, and plan to come back even stronger in the next.
Zeljko Vucinic, senior captain and midfielder, reflected on the team’s progress at the halfway point of the season and shared how he felt proud of the team’s improvements since the previous season and his excitement for the rest of the current one. “I think the season’s been going really well, and I’m definitely proud of how far everyone has come.” Vucinic shared. “We’ve had some tough losses from some good teams, but overall we’ve been doing pretty good.”
To Vucinic, one of the most important parts of the game that people often overlook is your headspace as a player. “As a captain this year, I definitely try to get everybody focused and in the game. It’s really easy to start thinking about other things on the field, and I notice that when people are doing that they don’t play as good,” he shared. “It’s really important to make sure you’re in the game, because as a team we all need each other to stay focused so that we can work together.”
Vucinic further explained that when even just one member of the team is off, it affects everyone– proving just how necessary teamwork is in a sport like soccer. Success is dependent on passing, positioning, and support from every single teammate for one another. If players were only to focus on themselves, not a single goal would be scored. “When we’re all focused, we do better as a team, and that’s why we have a winning record this year,’ Vucinic continued. “We’ve had a few off games here and there, but for the most part our communication makes us pretty good.”
Communication is key to making a strong and intertwined team in soccer. All four varsity captains work together to foster an environment that encourages teamwork, especially by bonding. Jimi Plantage, another senior captain and midfielder, shared how uniting the team together is one of the most important parts of winning. The team hosts different events like pasta dinners, team meet-ups, and more to keep the connections between teammates strong.
“Especially with all of the new members of the team, its really important to make sure everyone’s talking to each other and getting engaged,” Plantage shared. Eden Prairie High School’s soccer team has many players that come from different countries and backgrounds, and staying connected despite the language barrier is something that Plantage strives to encourage for his teammates. “Whether its in the huddle before the game, at practice, or even at pasta dinners, I always want to make sure that everyone is involved.”
Building on strengthening the team through its international players, captain and defender Josh Cook elaborated on the team dynamic. “We have a lot of kids from different countries on the team, so at first it was challenging for everyone to bond together,” he explained. “But now I’d say we’re definitely all really close, and I have some of my best friends on this team.”
One of Cook’s biggest duties as a captain is to keep the team together– and something he does to ensure this is making sure everyone is encouraged to do their best. “Getting everyone involved means holding everyone accountable, and that also encourages everyone to do better,” Cook shared. “Telling people what they’re doing right makes them do more of it, and our team has really good chemistry so we all kind of encourage each other to do better as well.”
Nathan Peters, the team’s only junior captain, also has a similar method of encouragement as a leader. “I like to show them how if they’re not doing something right, instead of just saying they’re doing it wrong, actually showing them how to do it right,” he explained. “Its important to encourage them and do little things like saying ‘good job’, just to make sure nobody gets discouraged even when a game isn’t going how we want it to.”
As a junior, Peters will be the only one of the 2025 captains to remain on the team next year. “I think being a person that my teammates can look up to will be really important last year as we’re doing a lot of work to improve,” he shared.
Through encouragement and collaboration, the varsity soccer captains are able to lead a team that just gets better and better every season. Even with the tough losses that the team faced this season, its much more important to acknowledge the times they triumphed over strong teams because of how well they are able to work together. While they team may have not reached their state goals this season, they showed great strength and the players know what they need to do next year.
