Juniors lead Jackson soccer to 5-0 start

The years of the Jackson boys’ soccer team winning the state championship or playing for the state title feel distant after an 8-13 2022.

After a 3-0 win over Northwest (Cedar Hill) on Wednesday, Sept. 13, the Indians have started the season with a 5-0 record. They have certainly exceeded the community’s expectations but whether or not this hot start is a surprise to the players is mixed.

“I didn’t expect we were gonna be that good,” Jackson freshman Brandon Botkin said, “but we’re second in the state right now and hoping to get on top.”

“I think at the start, we kind of exceeded [expectations] but now we’re easing into it, knowing where we’re at,” said Jackson junior Blake Cain. “I think we have higher hopes now.”

“It’s exactly where we’d thought we’d be,” Jackson junior Aiden McMinn said. “We came into the season thinking we’re gonna start hot and we’re starting hot and we’re gonna keep on going.”

Botkin, Cain, and McMinn have each scored a goal during Jackson’s win. Cain's first goal of the year came on an assist from sophomore Luke Simmons during a scramble at the top of the Northwest goalbox gave him an opening at the lower left.

"It was kind of right place, right time," Cain said. "A little miscommunication but it turned into some good communication there. I was talking to my teammate, and his header dropped to my feet, I had the opportunity so I took it. Got to keep it low because it's a tall keeper. It's gonna be hard if it's high. I just put my foot through it and prayed for the best."

Simmons assisted in the Indians' second goal of the game, giving McMinn a shot outside of the goalbox to score his fifth goal in as many games.

"My team has helped me get the ball to my feet, worked through certain defenses to get the ball in the goal," McMinn said.

Botkin's first goal of his career came from a 28-yard strike with five minutes remaining in the game.

"I just created space and took an inside touch and just shot," Botkin said. "It's very big. I've never done anything like that. At the first opportunity to take [the shot], I took it."

Cain and McMinn are among a group of 13 juniors that encompass much of the starting lineup. They struggled together last year only to thrive this year.

“Those kids grew a lot last year,” Jackson coach Zack Walton said. “You can tell right now that those kids as sophomores had to play and so we’ve got some experience already out there. Our boys are doing a great job of adapting to the game and bringing intensity.”

With only two seniors on the team, McMinn's leadership is almost as important as his offense.

“I accepted that role when I was a sophomore,” McMinn said. “I knew that we had a big senior class that left my sophomore year so I knew that I had to step up and a bunch of other guys stepped up and became leaders and we all pushed each other to become better this season.”

The Indians return home on Monday to host Lindbergh (9-1) in a high-stakes Class 4 District 1 clash.