The Eastside High boys and girls soccer teams are ready to face their potential as coaches and athletes prepare for the upcoming spring season.

Following an undefeated regular season a year ago, the Eastside Varsity Boys team is optimistic about how spring 2026 soccer will go. 

“This year we are coming off of a historic season,” said Jabari Bennett, head coach for Eastside High Boys soccer. “We went undefeated in the regular season, and we were region champions. The goal this year is to reach that point again and to reach further into the playoffs.” 

Bennett expounded on the fact that Eastside Varsity boys lost 13 seniors last year. This year, they have almost all new players, with the majority being freshmen. Yet, Bennett is not worried about the upcoming season having a new dynamic to the team. 

“I think we have a very good group of kids this year, and would argue that from top to bottom, I would say we are more stable,” Bennett said. “We have a stronger core as a whole, as a team, rather than just relying on just one or two players.”

Albeit a young team, Bennett is set to return a pair of key players in the form of Alexis Vieyra and Hudson Harris.

In 2025-26, Vieyra and Harris combined for 24 goals.

Bennett is sure that the team will work well together and recognizes the skill and potential talent that he has already seen after tryouts. 

“From a skill perspective, I would argue that we haven't seen a level of talent at this scale since, I would say, the 2016-2018 seasons, and honestly, I think that we are at a high level,” Bennett said. 

We even have freshmen who, I think, have very strong futures for our program and for the future to come. Even our seniors, genuinely, are some of the best players we’ve ever had. [The seniors] are even saying that some of these players are legit, and I believe them.” 

The biggest challenge the boys face Bennett explained is the ability to keep the winning mentality high, especially with so many young players on the team. However, he has already begun to see that mentality and leadership from his older players. 

“The seniors and juniors have really stepped it up this year,” Bennett said. “They have really done well in taking these younger players under their wing to show them what we expect and how we expect them to play at practice and games. They explain to them our core philosophies as a team, how to work as a team and what we expect as a unit.” 

Each athlete has a different role on the team, and Bennett is confident that each of his players know how to handle themselves and how to work together this season. 

“[The juniors and seniors] want us to go far this season, and I think they can lead us to some serious victories this year,” Bennett said. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I think there is potential that we can do as good as we did, if not better than last year.” 

The Eastside High girls soccer team is also ready to kick off the season with a strong confidence and determination to do very well if not better than their previous season. 

“I am really excited for this season,” said Yulisa Vega, head coach for Eastside High Girls' soccer. “We have a lot of brand new girls that came up from JV to Varsity, so I have a really positive outlook on how the girls are going to do. We have a really dedicated, hardworking group of girls, and I just hope to make it farther into the region and to do well and to just improve after every game.” 

This year, the girls' team is not senior-heavy. They have two seniors and many juniors, so they will not be losing too many players after this season. 

One senior that is set to lead the team is Katheryn Wilber, who was one of the team’s top offensive options a year ago alongside former Lady Eagle Joanna Funes.

Vega is not worried about her upperclassmen’s potential, and she remains confident in her sophomores and freshmen this season as well. 

“I think that the young group that we do have, they have that ambition, that commitment where they just want it, so I think that will mesh well with the returns that we have now, and I think we’ll feed off that energy and work hard,” Vega said. 

Vega explained that tryouts went very well, and they have 16 on Varsity and 11 on the JV team, with three Varsity players being swing players. 

“I really do have high expectations for the team this year,” Vega said. 

Both coaches have high standards and anticipation for this spring season and are adamant about keeping intensity and consistency in practices to prepare. 

The biggest concern from the two head coaches is not just what happens in practice or at games but also in the students’ academics and life outside of the sport, and that is the standard they hold for all of their players each and every season. 

“We just want to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing both on and off the field,” Bennett said.