On the sidelines of a game against Crystal Springs Uplands, the boys soccer team learned something about itself. 

Watching with an injury, co-captain Connor Huh ’26 stood off the pitch as the team entered the match underdogs. In their previous meeting with Crystal Springs Uplands, Nueva had lost 6–0. From kickoff, the game was a relentless back-and-forth. 

With around half the starters out, players who hadn’t seen as much playing time stepped up. Communication was constant, with players connecting passes and creating chances, allowing the team to remain organized and competitive against Crystal for the full match. 

When the final whistle sounded on a 2-4 defeat, the result mattered less than what the team had proven.

“I remember watching players I hadn’t seen play before fill the shoes of other people,” Huh said. “It was a loss, but watching that game made me realize this team is really something special.” 

Anay Mehta ’29 emphasized the team’s collective mindset. “No matter who was on the field,” he said, “everyone trusted each other.”

Last season, the team made the Central Coast Section (CCS) quarterfinals for the first time. After a large senior class graduated, Huh expected a rebuilding season for the team. 

“But every year,” Huh said, “great freshmen come in, and returning players develop over the offseason.” 

The team now sits second in its league—driven in large by a culture of trust. Mehta credits his fellow freshmen and upperclassmen with helping him adjust to the new environment, while Huh points to the captains from past seasons as role models who shaped his leadership style. 

“The captains I had in the past did a really good job of leading by example,” he said. “Just interacting with them taught me a lot about the game and about how to lead.”

Rather than relying on any single class or lineup, the team has built a continuity of leadership, with responsibility passed down year after year.

“Regardless of the outcome,” Huh said, “I know the future of this team is in great hands.”