A passionate, energetic team of young men wearing green jerseys walks onto the field. They all have confident looks on their faces. A chant of “Viva Sparta!” erupts among the crowd. This is White Station soccer.

The White Station soccer team has experienced a substantial amount of success over the last couple of years. The Spartans have been the Division 1 District champions many times over the last decade, including three years in a row from 2014-2016. This year, the players and coaches believe it’s time to take the next step– win a State title.

The team features veteran seniors that have been playing on the same team and under the same coach together since Freshman year. One of the standout seniors that will have a big role this year is Ian Evans (12). He plays multiple positions, including right wing, center midfielder and center back. Evans is also a captain of the team.

“This soccer season is probably going to be one of the better ones we’ve had over the last few years,” Evans said. “We have a strong upperclassman squad again.”

He thinks the team will perform better than it did last year but acknowledges that there will be challenges.  

“It’s always difficult to play teams like Houston and Collierville, but one of the more competitive teams we play is Kingsbury,” Evans said. “Lately, we’ve been having harder district games so it’s harder to stay on top of the district championship.”

Evans is one of the strongest leaders of the team, according to forward/defender Cedar Dean (11).

“He knows how to get us moving, how to keep us on task, and makes us a better team,” Dean said. “Ian has some of the best skills I’ve seen as a high schooler, and he has a killer shot.”

Dean also has an immense amount of respect for Coach Drew Sachenbacher.

“I have great respect for Coach Drew,” Dean said.“He is one of those coaches that always looks for the positive aspects in a bad situation and drives us to be our best. I love him, and I know the team loves him.”

Sachenbacher has been the head coach for the past three years. The team has truly gelled under him, and they all follow his lead.

“My favorite part of coaching this team is getting to spend time with these young men every day,” Sachenbacher said. “There are so many different personalities on the team, and to see them act as a family is very rewarding. There is strong leadership and respect for one another, and it is a joy to watch.”

This upcoming season is quite momentous for Sachenbacher because the players he started coaching as freshmen are now the senior leaders.

“This season is very special to me,” Sachenbacher said. “Watching guys like Daniel Hill, Leodan Rodriguez and Drew Shelton grow from incoming eighth graders into leaders and outstanding young men has been a blessing for me.”

Teamwork, chemistry and skill are the three major components that may lead the Spartan soccer team to glory this season. The team also has a “new tactic,” as Evans put it. The new tactic, described by Dean, is the team’s “ability to get it out of the back and attack quickly, trying to catch the other team off-guard.”

“If we play for the player next to us, we can win every game,” Dean said.