![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NHS-L-AnnapolisLincolnParkBSOC-0818-27.jpg\")
Christian Zavala, #10 in blue, and Jiovani Aguilar, far right, were responsible for both Lincoln Park goals in their 2-0 season-opening win vs Annapolis on April 18, 2025. (SAMANTHA ELLIOTT — For MediaNews Group)<\/p>\nLINCOLN PARK \u2013 The Michigan high school boys\u2019 soccer season is officially underway with several teams around the state opening up their seasons this past weekend.<\/p>\n
Two local schools \u2013 Lincoln Park and Dearborn Heights Annapolis \u2013 each fell into that category before facing off Monday evening on what felt like a true \u201cfall night\u201d of the young season. Annapolis got its season underway on Friday with a hard 7-0 loss vs Hamtramck, while Lincoln Park turned in a 2-1 record in a set of scrimmages on Saturday.<\/p>\n
In a battle of five-win teams from a year ago, it was the host Railsplitters from Lincoln Park on the winning side of a 2-0 affair.<\/p>\n
After a scoreless 40 minutes to start the game, the game-winner came early in the second half after Lincoln Park coach David Doran urged his team to \u201cjust focus on the first five minutes,\u201d and it worked.<\/p>\n
With 37:40 left on the clock, Christian Zavala sent a shot arching from 20 yards out to put his Rails on the board. The goal came after the hosts controlled much of the first half of play.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had been kind of controlling play, but hadn\u2019t been really aggressively attacking the edges,\u201d Doran said. \u201cWe\u2019ve just been passing the ball around the perimeter. I just wanted us to really look to press for a shot and not look for the perfect shot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just under seven mintues later, Jiovani Aguilar added cushion for the hosts after getting the Annapolis defense out of position, making it a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Monday\u2019s win for Lincoln Park comes after finishing a three-game scrimmage at Riverview Gabriel Richard over the weekend. The Rails ended up finishing 2-1, beating Garden City as well as the host Pioneers and falling to Dearborn Fordson.<\/p>\n
Including their performances in those weekend exhibitions, Doran is pleased with how his team is performing, namely his upperclassmen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guys are really working hard and I really feel like today in past years,\u201d Doran said. \u201cThat level of game wouldn\u2019t have been coming together until later September, so I was really pleased.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the loss, Annapolis coach Mohamed Aljoaani was happy with the performance of his team that is only in their second year of existence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud of the guys,\u201d Aljoaani said. \u201cThey\u2019re following the game plan that I\u2019m giving them. There\u2019s a few specific details that they\u2019re still not grasping, but they\u2019re working on it and I can see there\u2019s progress, so despite the result, I\u2019m very proud of these guys.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an improvement from last year (and) it\u2019s a learning process for me as well,\u201d Aljoaani added. \u201cBut they\u2019re doing very well and I\u2019m proud of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
A year ago, the then first-year Cougars roster boasted 25 players. This year\u2019s squad features just 14, something Aljoaani says will benefit the team as they continue to gel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to see how the team just plays together and works together and the chemistry that they build up,\u201d he said. \u201cLast year we had 25 players so it was hard for them to build chemistry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a smaller squad, but way more lethal and I\u2019m excited to see how they build chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christian Zavala, #10 in blue, and Jiovani Aguilar, far right, were responsible for both Lincoln Park goals in their 2-0 season-opening win vs Annapolis on April 18, 2025. (SAMANTHA ELLIOTT — For MediaNews Group)<\/p>\n
Through two games, Aljoaani said he is happy with the improvements he\u2019s seen between the loss to Hamtramck and Monday\u2019s defeat. He added that he is looking forward to the tougher games on the schedule, most notably a trip to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep next week.<\/p>\n
Doran, too, is looking forward to what he says will be an interesting Downriver League season as the majority of teams will all fall into the same district at season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s what I\u2019m really intrigued by,\u201d he said. \u201cOur whole district is basically our whole league, which is really wild because this season is going to be all year getting ready for districts, not just in the sense that you always are, but literally the whole Downriver League in one district and that\u2019s going to be interesting playing someone three times.\u201d<\/p>\n
UP NEXT<\/p>\n
Lincoln Park (1-0) will look to make it two straight wins to open the season when they host Detroit Cass Tech on Wednesday, Aug 20. They then open up DRL play next Monday, Aug 25 when they welcome in Allen Park.<\/p>\n
Annapolis (0-2) will hold its home opener on Thursday, Aug 21 against non-conference foe Clawson before heading out to Notre Dame Prep next Monday.<\/p>\n