St. Mary’s will host ASIJ today in possibly the most important game on their schedule. Earlier this season, the two teams met at ASIJ, where St. Mary’s suffered a 5–2 loss in a game that slipped away towards the end of the first half. Today, the Titans have their opportunity to avenge the heartbreaking previous loss in front of a home crowd.
Their meeting in December was underwhelming to say the least, with several costly mistakes leading to goals being allowed. For today’s game, St. Mary’s is missing striker Noah Takato and fullback Kaito Parsons due to injury. Despite these setbacks, the Titans look to get an early lead by being productive on the attack and limiting careless mistakes.
For certain Titans on the team, this game is more than just a rivalry game. The game is also the team’s “Senior Night” game, a St. Mary’s sports tradition where teams honor Seniors in their final season as Titans. The Titans, playing at home with a fresh mentality and a full crowd in support of them, are more primed than ever for an upset revenge win over the Mustangs.
“We need to limit our mistakes. I think we’re playing more as a team than we were last time we played them, it’s just about how we execute today,” starting centerback Aoto Fukai said. Similarly, Noah Takato said, “I’m excited, but we need to beat them at home. It’s our last home game against ASIJ. We’ve already played them once, so we’re more prepared.” This confidence from key members of the team reflects the Titans players’ attitude heading into the big rivalry game.
With senior night adding another layer of significance, the stakes extend beyond the result. For the seniors, this match represents their final opportunity to compete against ASIJ at home. As St. Mary’s prepares for the rematch, the team looks to rally for a win over their long-time rival. Make sure to come out and support the Titans!
