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10/15/2024 11:54 AMThe Morgan boys’ soccer team is dominating a lot of its opponents this fall. With a killer mindset and a strong foundation for success, the Huskies have many weapons, including the talented and versatile Esteban Orozco.
The Morgan sophomore striker/center defensive midfielder is currently in his first full year of playing varsity for Morgan. Last season, he was a swing player, competing both on the varsity and junior varsity (JV) teams. In his debut role as a full-time varsity athlete, Esteban has helped his team to be well set up for a deep postseason run.
“I have been playing soccer since I was about three years old. For as long as I can remember, I was always playing and always just attached to the game. Watching the sport on TV and seeing all the professional players really inspired me to want to play even more,” says Esteban. “When I was younger, I used to idolize Cristiano Ronaldo, and I used to want to be like him, and I remember even getting haircuts. I used to want to be exactly like him, and so seeing him play just made me want to play even more.”
With 12 goals and five assists at this point in the season, Esteban has clearly made a huge impact on the field, but he also serves as a huge motivator for his teammates off of it.
“I try to bring out the best of everyone and bring out their competitive spirit. Being a versatile player has helped the team in many different areas and aspects of the game,” says Esteban. “If the team needs to win the ball in the air, or needs more control of the midfield, I will drop back into the midfield. If we need to score and that is our focus, then I will play as a striker. As a freshman on varsity, I spent most of my time learning and asking questions so that I could prepare myself for each moment in which I was needed.”
Morgan boys’ soccer Head Coach Ross Demay echoes the sentiment that Esteban shows a lot of selflessness during in-game action, and he has shown great strides in the improvement of his game.
“Esteban has been playing well and embracing his role as a nine and a six. He understands what is needed from him when and where, depending on the team we are playing and what is going on within the game,” says Demay. “While he still has areas to grow and mature in, his step from last year to this one really shows, as he has been an important part of our team’s success. His physicality and technical aspect of the game has improved from his freshman year. He is also more willing to embrace different roles as he sees the needs of the team, and in doing so, he and the team are finding more success.”
The Huskies are currently ranked third in the Shoreline Athletic Conference (SLC), behind the conference’s defending champions in Old Saybrook, as well as East Hampton. Within Class S, Esteban and the Huskies are currently seeded at No. 6. They will face Amistad and Haddam-Killingworth before beginning their postseason run.
“My goal for myself is to continue scoring, helping the team, and working hard at what is our team goal, which is to win a Shoreline and a state championship. Those are our goals,” says Esteban. “I'm looking forward to seeing how we will play, adapt, and fight for one another. I look forward to seeing the determination out of all of us.”
Playing a sport at a higher level is a challenge in any capacity. For Esteban, he finds that a particular difficulty he has faced is not getting too deep in his emotions over the course of a game, and channeling the mindset that it’s always about what’s in front of him and his team, rather than what’s behind them.
“We've definitely faced challenges this season, and so far, we have managed to bounce back from them. Our biggest challenge is overcoming ourselves,” says Esteban. “I believe that we are our own biggest weakness, and our biggest challenge so far has been getting out of our own heads.”
Demay has seen Esteban struggle with some of the pressure that comes with being a key piece of both the offense and the defense on the field, but he has taken any obstacles in stride and shaped into a dual-threat athlete.
“He has had a few mental hurdles of learning to play two completely different positions on the field this year in the nine and the six. He is one that until he sees what he is doing working, he isn’t sure of himself and what he is doing on the field,” says Demay. “As the season has progressed, his energy and willingness to push and play the positions as needed have given him the confidence to buy in more and ultimately find more success.”
Esteban and the Huskies will face Amistad on Thursday, Oct. 17 and Haddam-Killingworth on Monday, Oct. 21 before they focus their efforts on the postseason. Esteban is eagerly waiting to see how he continues to improve as a soccer player, and the way his team’s talented roster will navigate its way through the playoffs.
“I'm looking forward to seeing how we will play and adapt and fight for one another to be able to advance through the rounds and continue with our success and keep our hopes of winning alive. I look forward to seeing the determination out of all of us,” says Esteban. “I'm looking forward to seeing how I progress as a player going into next season and how my teammates progress, so that we can have yet another successful season.”