On Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, the Berkeley High School boys varsity soccer team played Piedmont High School for the first time this season. Going into the game, the team was confident, coming off a winning streak. “This season started off a little rough. We lost two out of our first three games, but we have not lost a game since then. And it’s definitely going better,” BHS sophomore Jasper Kirsch said.
The match commenced with Berkeley quickly taking possession of the ball. It became clear that Berkeley would control both the tone and tempo of the match. They utilized passes through the midfield and made runs for each other, efficiently circulating the ball around the field. Varsity head coach Andre Hebert said, “We’ve been working on tight interchanges,” and the practice was undoubtedly reflected in the game. When confronted by Piedmont’s defense, the BHS midfielders and wingers used rapid one-touch passes, blowing past any defender. “We don’t like to play kickball and boot it up, and hope that our attacking players can get it and score,” Kirsch said. Through the first half, Berkeley managed multiple shots on goal, but to no avail. Their constricting offense forced Piedmont to concede numerous corner kicks, yet BHS still couldn’t breach Piedmont’s net. Despite Berkeley’s possessive play style, Piedmont’s defense and the team’s own faults prevented them from scoring.
No goals were scored in the first half, leaving Piedmont distraught. The team’s playstyle had crumbled into sending desperate long balls down the field or clearing it out of bounds. When they gained possession and drove the ball down the field, they were met with Berkeley’s defense. On especially well-placed long balls or fast breaks, Piedmont came close to scoring. Both teams ended the first half with numerous shots on goal, and the match was left undecided.
The second half began with a similar tempo as the first. Berkeley maintained possession early on, and had a few shots on goal, although none succeeded. Piedmont stuck to a similar playstyle as the first half, focusing on defense and sending long balls to their strikers and midfielders. No matter Piedmont’s playstyle, Berkeley fought forward until the eleventh minute when Kirsch received a long pass down the right wing. He sprinted with the ball towards the goal line, and cut into the bottom of the box, drawing the Piedmont defenders’ and goalies’ attention. Just as he seemed cut off from all angles, he sent a short pass through the box to BHS junior Oliver Sensenig, who smashed the ball into the net, creating a 1-0 lead for BHS.
The rest of the match wasn’t too different than before. With the teams in a stalemate, the final score was 1-0: BHS in the lead. “We definitely could have finished more chances and taken more shots, but as a whole, it was a really good game today,” Kirsch said after the game. He is looking forward to facing off against Piedmont again, especially since both teams will return improved and prepared. “I’m excited to play them again. I think we’ll beat them by more next time,” he said. Both of the teams walk away from the game with a clear idea of what skills to focus on. Coach Hebert summarized the team’s priority, “We need to score more.”