Kingwood Men’s Soccer brought home a district win this season for the first time in over ten years (2013). Two of the team’s captains and class of ’23 seniors, Connor Quinn and Ethan Knutsen, shared their feelings on such a successful season.

According to Senior Connor Quinn, the soccer season began with a rocky start at the Frisco Tournament where they didn’t earn a single win to ending the season as dominating district champions. The team pushed hard on every game during district playoffs this year ending with a last minute goal against Northshore to claim the district championship title. Both Connor Quinn and Ethan Knutsen took some time to reflect on the season and what it meant to lead and play with Kingwood men’s soccer over the past four years.

Community is a word that best describes your team and current season. What parting words would you leave for the team?

“I want to thank all of my teammates for all of their hard work. In the end it all paid off even though playoffs were cut short. It was a season filled with adrenaline and good moments. I want to thank the Kingwood High School staff and coaches for supporting us this year as well. Also, a huge thanks to our parents for all of their consistent support.” – Connor Quinn

“I’m very proud of the team this season and everything we managed to accomplish. It was an unfortunate ending in the playoffs, but there is nothing we should be hanging our heads about. I wanna say thank you to Coach Jennings, Coach Johnson, and Coach Ogden for an amazing season. And I wanna say thank you to all the parents and fans who always supported us too.” – Ethan Knutsen

How did  you both feel about leading your team to a district championship and playoff bracket?

“It feels good to know that I played a role in winning the district and advancing into playoffs. Although, credit has to be given to the team because without everybody’s effort we would’ve gotten nowhere.” – Ethan Knutsen

“It feels great. The team put in a lot of work throughout the season and it paid off. It just feels great. ” – Connor Quinn

As captains, how do you feel the team was able to come together to win a district championship for the first time in ten plus years?

“The team had to work hard to win the district title. We knew this was a comeback season and the season would be difficult. But we had a great winning mindset, attitude, and teamwork. We bonded well as a team and worked together. We took the season one game at a time, and in the end, we won a district title for the first time in a while.” – Connor Quinn

“It felt very affirming after all of the effort I have put into soccer the past four years. Especially for us to win my senior year makes it much more special because I have been playing with a lot of these guys for my whole life and it was good to end on a high note.” – Ethan Knutsen

What made the difference this year over the past four years that you have both been on the team. What factors have contributed to such a strong season?

“The team put in a lot of work both before and during the season. We had practices during the period and after school, and the team worked hard at each one. We also had great teamwork and we all played well together. The team just connected well this year, and I think that helped us a lot.” – Connor Quinn

“I think the team’s overall camaraderie from the beginning of the season was one of the main factors to our success. In years past there have been many different groups among the team but this year we were all one big group. Regardless if you were a Junior or Sophomore we all got along and could compete with each other.” – Ethan Knutsen

We asked Coach Jennings to reflect on this past year and specifically what stood out to him about this years’ varsity mens team?

“As a team, we were always calm and intense at the same time. We never seemed to be rattled even into the closing minutes. No game got too big and no moment was too small.  Attention to detail in training and games was incredible. They were always consistent, regardless of the opponent. Our leadership was top notch and we had tremendous buy-in across the board. My captains (Connor, James, and Ethan) had the respect of their teammates, but even further my captains respected those following them. When we needed leadership outside of these three, others would step up. Truly a team looking out for everyone involved.   Regardless of playing time and position, it seemed everyone was on the same path and supported the guy in front and behind.

Our returning players will be key to our direction. We have some really good talent coming up with two years of being undefeated at the JV level. Putting all the pieces together will be challenging as only eleven players can be on the field at a time. The new group has some big shoes to fill.” – Coach Brian Jennings

The graduating seniors who played such a vital role in the team’s achievement are followed by a strong team of sophomores and juniors who are sure to continue making their mark on the district stage and playoff bracket. The Kingwood High School community is incredibly proud of the men’s soccer team and their perseverance throughout the season. They have truly shown what it means to let your blue shine through.