Can lightning strike twice? Poly’s boys soccer team will soon find out as they continue the season, hoping to win once again the CIF title they clinched last year. Can the Panthers stay driven when expectations have never been higher? Last season was nothing short of remarkable, where an overall score of 17-4-2 carried Poly all the way to CIF champions. This year, they’re on the right track with an overall record of 9-4-1 and a Prep League record of 4-0.
To commemorate their historic achievement, last year’s team gathered for their ring ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2025, on the Babcock Field, where each player received their CIF-SS Division 7 Champion Baron Ring, a symbol of their determination and hard work. Head coach Dan Sheridan captured the significance of the moment: “Poly won their one and only boys soccer title in 2000, so it’s been 25 years. It’s a pretty big deal.”
This year’s team hopes to replicate last year’s success, and, so far, they have 9 overall victories. Currently ranked first in the Prep League, the Panthers delivered a striking 3-0 shutout against Maranatha High School on Saturday, Jan. 17. Junior captain striker Momo Tonthat ’27 said, “I think it’s important to put the victory in the past and focus on this year because it is a completely different team. If we keep working hard and pushing each other, then I’m sure we will win CIF again this year.”
Much of the team’s success this season can be attributed to the upperclassmen, particularly senior goalkeeper Eli Axel, Tonthat, and senior center midfielder Nicolas Ashjian, whose leadership sets the tone for every game. Sheridan said, “These players have been real standouts, and it’s helped a lot.”
Many underclassmen echo their coach’s view. Sophomore center midfielder Anthony Iek explained, “Seeing their work ethic and drive to win and skill has pushed me to work harder and achieve to become a better player and teammate on and off the field.”
Despite the team’s success thus far, there are still areas for improvement. Tonthat notes that mental sharpness before matches can be a challenge. “We occasionally lack focus before away games, so we start off the game a bit slow, but we are usually able to compose ourselves and focus again,” he said. If the Panthers hope to win another championship, they’ll need to continue to identify their flaws, in addition to their strengths, and actively work to turn those early-game lapses into complete performances.
With last year’s CIF title behind them and another within reach, the Poly boys soccer team enters the season’s final stretch and is determined to prove their reign is no accident. Senior leadership setting the standard, younger players meeting it, and a collective willingness to confront weaknesses are all shaping this team into a program built to last, not just remembered for a single championship run. As they continue to grow in discipline and composure, this season has the potential to turn last year’s breakthrough into the beginning of a new era for Poly boys soccer.