For this Cottonwood Colts boys’ soccer team, the decision to turn toward a youth movement is the big news of the moment, according to head coach BryLee Harvest. 

“I decided to be bold this season and take over 20 underclassmen (9 freshman and 11 sophomores),” Harvest said. “I understood the risk and growing pains it entailed, but I felt it was time to revitalize our program looking at the bigger picture for this school.” 

That resulted in two losses to kick off the 2024-25 season—both narrow. First, the season opener at Highland Tuesday March 4 was a slugfest … in cleats. 

“We were level the entire game against Highland and had many opportunities that we failed to convert (including a missed PK),” Harvest said. “It looked like we were going to overtime and we dropped two late goals in the last eight minutes of the game.” 

After that, and just like clockwork, a visitor in white came. 

“We follow the game up with an unfortunate cancellation of our Cyprus game due to the snow and head straight into region play against Tooele,” said Harvest, lamenting the fact his team’s preseason would be just one game. 

That cancellation pushed the Colts toward their next game, the Region 10 opener on March 10. 

“Tooele vs Cottonwood has become one of the greatest rivalries in Region 10 in the four years we have been together, this past game is an early candidate for game of the year,” Harvest said. “One of those deficits included a two-goal rally in the last 20 minutes of the game that was sparked by Rogelio Hernandez’s hat trick.” 

It was the Colts’ first hat trick since Dejen Abreha had one back on March 14, 2017. 

“We lose 4-5 in a heartbreaking 9-goal thriller in double overtime just moments away from penalties,” Harvest said. “After rallying from not just one deficit but two separate deficits. 

“Soccer is a unpredictable and somewhat cruel game at times. It is in part why we love and hate it at times,” said Harvest, who remained optimistic his boys would gel. “I know once we get the first one, I believe we will not ever look back.”

The next game had Cottonwood back on familiar turf for its home opener Thursday March 13 against Park City, helmed by a son of late US women’s soccer coach Tony DiCicco. 

The Colts were trailing early, but Hernandez continued his goal-scoring tear, converting a penalty kick shortly thereafter to make it 1-1. 

“I subbed Jimmy Alfani into the game with five minutes left in hopes of getting something late and he did exactly that,” Harvest said. “He pounced on a corner kick and scored his debut goal of the season to put us up 2-1 heading into halftime.”

Things looked good as the second half got underway, according to the Colts’ coach.  

“We struck again early in the second half with a beautiful cross from Kabali Kangeta that was finished on a first-time volley from Hernandez to put us up 3-1,” Harvest said. “Things were looking great, but we decided for some reason to go on cruise control after that goal and made the game way more interesting than it had to be (especially in the last 10 minutes).” 

Park City got a goal back with about eight minutes left, trimming Cottonwood’s lead to 3-2. 

“We were defending for our lives but luckily time expired,” said Harvest, who’s playing an average of five freshmen in every game. “It was a great game, I was really disappointed with the lapse of focus from our team to conclude it … and it’s part of the growing pains with playing a younger squad.” 

For this edition of Cottonwood boys soccer, several guys are standing out. 

“Rogelio Hernandez is showing out early with five goals in three games so far. He is on fire right now,” Harvest said. “Additionally, Kabali Kangeta (forward) and Parker Evans (forward) have contributed two assists each in helping our team score seven goals in three games. Our freshmen Jancarlo Licona-Vera, Alfredo Cardenas and John Vaughan have shown tremendous poise and have started each game and played significant minutes for us. They are growing up right in front of our eyes! Jancarlo and Alfredo have played every possible minute for us also.” 

There is still plenty of work to do at one end of the field, however. 

“While we have an explosive offense right now, we are also giving up a lot of goals that we need to work on as the season progresses. We have given up nine goals in three games,” Harvest said. “A lot of poor mistakes and misjudgments replacing an entire defensive back line. We are definitely trying to figure things out back there, but there has been some promising progress.” λ