INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – When you walk into the Incline High gymnasium it’s impossible to miss the boys’ soccer banner that signifies all of the state championships the Highlanders have won.

The tradition is something that head coach Peter Salazar knows all about. He was a vital member of the 2009 team that many people think is the best Highlander team ever and then he was the 1st year head coach in 2022 that led Incline to an overtime victory over arch-rival North Tahoe to raise the trophy that year.

Last seasons 4-10-2 campaign was one that Coach Salazar wants his young men to forget but more importantly work to not let happen again.

“Combining the 2A and 3A last year into one division was a big step up for many of our players. We are now competing with stronger teams,” Salazar said. “Playing North Valleys, Truckee, South Tahoe and Elko caught us off guard a little bit. We have the talent to compete, we just need to work and believe.”

Watching this team play on Friday night against 4A North Valleys High School from Reno showed this team has worked and they are ready to compete. The visiting Panthers were much physically bigger and stronger than an Incline team that is playing without its leading scorer.

North Valleys has 2000 more students in their school than Incline and still the Highlanders clung to a 1-0 lead for the majority of the match after getting a terrific goal off a corner kick from Senior Jaime Perez in the first couple minutes of the game to Sophomore Gavin Kratz.

It was the story all night of the small Highlanders fighting for everything against the bigger Panthers. A highlight for the nice sized crowd at the game was watching 5’6 Freshman Nate Lager from IHS battle the 6’2 Senior center midfielder from North Valleys. Lager’s toughness and IQ on the pitch fired up the Highlander faithful.

Even though a late 2nd half goal had the game finish in a 1-1 tie it was solid moment for a very young team that was missing some very key pieces, especially since Incline lost to the same North Valleys team 4-0 last year to open the season.

“We just have to keep playing and keep believing we can be a very good soccer team,” Salazar said. “We have some very good players on this team, and we have some very good leaders. I’m excited, especially when they start truly believing.”

The team is led by 8 Seniors; the captains, Sam Lager and Calvin Day and then; Perez, Alan Murillo, Ricardo Alamilla, Edwin Cuevas and Angel Estrada.

Sam Lager, the older brother of Nate, is a beast on defense. He’s a tough-minded defender that is extremely fast and very skilled. Day, also a very tough defender, flies around the pitch and has a very good IQ. Alamilla, usually a midfielder, had to move to goalie for the Highlanders and had a fantastic game against North Valleys on Friday night.

The team has 7 juniors that make up the upperclassmen on the team: Alexis Soto, Logan Modesto-Aguire, Jesus Herrera, Miguel Sanchez, Andew Valadez, Jorge Garcia and Jesus Alberto Aguirre Gomez.

Soto, one of the teams’ four captains, has scored 24 goals and dished out 14 assists in his high school career. His two goals this season lead the team. Unfortunately, an ankle injury is keeping him sidelined but when he’s on the field he is the Highlanders leader for attacking defenses.

Coach Salazar has nine underclassmen on the squad this year: three Sophomores; Jack Mangiaracina, Emiliano Salas and Kratz. Then, 6 Freshman; Lager, Noah Harssema, Aiden Romero, Liam Avenier, Kamil Saurez and Larsen Beenk.

Mangiaracina is the 4th captain of the squad and one of the smartest soccer players in this area. He controls the center mid field area like a seasoned pro and has great vision and footwork. His move in the 2nd half on Friday night had the entire crowd in amazement. He finished his freshman year with ten assists in five games due to an injury and he’s already dished out two this year.

Kratz, a big athletic forward already has 2 goals in 4 games this season including his hard-nosed pickup on Friday night against North Valleys.

Salazar wanted to have his players ready for league, so he scheduled 4A Damonte Ranch to open the year and the boys lost a tough one, 1-0. Then, they stomped 3A East opponent Dayton 6-0 before losing another tough one 1-0 to 4A Carson High. After Friday night’s battle with North Valleys the Highlanders are 1-2-1 and ready for league play.

Incline faced off against Truckee at Truckee on Monday Aug. 26 and then they are traveling to Yerington today, Aug. 30 for a 5pm match up against the Lions. The boys travel to Sage Ridge in Reno on Sept. 3 before coming home for the rivalry game against North Tahoe on Thursday Sept. 5 at 5 p.m.