The boys soccer team is prepared to begin the 2026 season, as they had a pair of scrimmages on Friday against West Liberty, and Saturday against Regina. 

Last season, after having a strong 15-1-3 record, they fell to Ames High in a narrow 1-0 loss in the state quarter finals. After losing a number of seniors, those positions were filled with underclassmen, or guys who didn’t see the field much last season. One of the seniors of the team, Jayden Le, voiced how vital these scrimmages were to prepare for the upcoming season.

“We have a very new team compared to last year,” Le ‘26 said. “These scrimmages really helped us build chemistry and adjust to playing with people we’ve never played with before. I believe we played very well against these two teams. There’s always things to improve on, but the future looks very bright. 

The boys played scrimmages this past week, starting on Friday, where they faced the West Liberty Comets, dominating with a 9-0 victory. They had an early morning wake up the next day, playing Regina at 10 am getting a 4-1 victory. In both games, City High transfer Oscar Gates ‘26 scored two goals along with one assist. Gates played three seasons for Shattuck-St. Mary’s boys soccer team in Minnesota, before moving back to his home state and attending City High for his senior year. 

“Overall, the adjustment process of the change in scenery has been very smooth. The team has been very welcoming and supportive,” Gates said.

Gates is set to be a big contributor to the team’s success this season, already showcasing it in the scrimmages with six goals.

“My first experience as a Little Hawk was a very positive one,” Gates said. “I enjoyed both scrimmages as I was happy with my team’s ability to work together and my own performance. I’m really excited about this upcoming season because the team culture is excellent- everyone is committed and works hard. If we stay focused, I believe we can make a run in state [playoffs].”