The varsity boys’ soccer team fell to Marin Academy in a 6-2 defeat on Wednesday, losing their first official game of the season.

The game started off well for Redwood, with the Giants in the lead 2-1 at the end of the first half. However, MA quickly fought back, scoring 5 goals in the second half.

“We had a strong start but towards the second half I think we just got fitzy and had a few mental errors,” said captain Teymour Sadrieh. “MA was a really difficult opponent and probably the best team we are going to face.”

James Ingledew, junior, scored the first goal just 10 minutes into the game, and Sadrieh followed, scoring the second goal. However, these two were no match to the six goals scored by the opposing Wildcats.

“The reason we lost wasn’t because we weren’t ready to play, or because we did something wrong in practice. It was more because we just lacked focus at the beginning of the second half and we can improve that by just being on it 100% of the time,” said sophomore Jack Elders.

Elders went on to explain why the team dynamic changed so suddenly after the first half. “We just got complacent. We thought we had it so that at the beginning of the second half we came out completely flat and they scored a bunch of goals on us.”

Last year, the boys’ varsity team made it all the way to MCAL finals and fell short.

“A lot of the goals we gave up last year came from silly mistakes and lapses in thinking, and these mistakes cost us goals and sometimes games,” said co-captain Isaac Perper. “We also learned that not one person makes a team, we have to work together. We had a lot of skill, but the team wasn’t as cohesive as it is this year and I think that will be great in the long run.”

Players believe they can make it even farther this year.

“I think [the season] will go well. We have the skill and players, we just need to get it together and focus without fooling around,” said Julian Ulrich, junior.

The team plays again at 4:30 pm today against Maria Carrillo High School at Redwood.