For the second time in Mako history, the MAST Academy boys’ soccer team has won the GMAC competition 2-1 in an emotion-filled match versus Palmetto High School.

“This is amazing, and there’s a sense of pride in belonging to this amazing academic school and one of the best public schools playing sports,” Coach Rui Gomes said in an interview with the Miami Herald which wrote an article about this accomplishment.

When the game began, palmetto was quick to score their first point of the match which seemed to have only fueled the MAST team’s passion to win even more.

“We had confidence in ourselves because we knew our game plan and we knew that we were the better team so, we just stuck to the game plan.” said Senior forward and captain of the soccer team, Nico Alvarez in an interview with the Beacon.

Around the 20th minute, Alvarez made a goal to come back and was assisted by junior midfielder Santiago Casserly. 11 minutes later, Caserly scored his own goal to put MAST in a one-goal lead.

“The mental resilience we have been working on game after game and practice after practice is giving us fight on every single play, but with class and not disruptive,” said coach Gomez in the same interview.

The rest of the match was a waiting game for MAST trying to maintain the lead, which was possible due to MAST’s goalie, senior Victor Kiersting.

“We [the soccer team] celebrated a lot, we had a party and everything .. it is also a tribute to everything we have done throughout the year and this was our objective so we’re very happy,” said Alvarez

The boy’s soccer team is trying to replicate the results at the district championships.

“If we get a game against Gulliver that’s going to be a big game. Last year we actually beat them in the semifinals on penalties and this year they are looking very strong so, yeah, we’re going to be nervous but this GMAC win giving us a lot of confidence,” said Alvarez.