Barron Collier Cougars prowling for more after finishing season undefeated

Author: Sylvie Sparks
Published: Updated:
Barron Collier

The only zero that these kids get in school is zero losses during the season. For the first time, the Barron Collier boy’s soccer team finished the regular season undefeated.

Heading, kicking, and tackling. These cougars are more than frisky. Their next step is clawing for a state title.

Ask head coach John Damasco about the last seven seasons of Barron Collier Boys soccer, and he’d call it a dry spell.

“We kind of hit a little bit of a dip,” Damasco said.

So, this year’s goal was simple for the Cougars: bounce back.

They started by winning the Collier County Athletics Conference for the first time since 2015, but their goal is much more.

“That’s the first thing that they were all talking about, ‘Okay, what’s next? Let’s get through the season undefeated,’ so now we’ve done that,” Damasco said.

Barron went undefeated in regular season play for the first time ever, and their sights set on a state title run.

“We’re out there every game trying to prove why we are where we are. You can’t just sit back on it and say ‘Okay, we did this.’ Put the hard work in to earn whatever you’re going to get and we have a lot to prove still,” Damasco said.

Right now, they’re the fourth-ranked team in the state, the second in five-a, and undefeated.

“We don’t really pay attention to other teams. We worry about ourselves, and we do what we need to do,” said Emerson LaOrden, Barron Collier junior center attacking mid.

And that’s keep playing for each other. Damasco and Laorden said this team has a bond on and off the field like no other.

“Teammates are important. You have to care about each other, work hard for each other, and push each other, and these guys do it every day,” Damasco said.

And they’ll keep doing it all postseason long, but senior Isaac Yusty said that no matter what happens, he’s proud to have come so far with this group of guys.

“It means everything. For the last four years, I’ve enjoyed it so much. To end it off with an undefeated season just feels amazing. I just hope we do really well,” Yusty said.

Barron Collier’s journey to a state title starts next week when district play begins.

Damasco has been coaching for 30 years, with Barron Collier for 12 years, and it’s his fourth as the head coach.

He said that this season is especially exciting because of this team’s pride in their school.

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