By John Orrell, Contributing Writer
Westborough – It has been nearly a year since the 2015 Westborough High School (WHS) boys varsity soccer team fell to Worcester’s South High in a bruising quarterfinal District matchup. The 1-0 edging left the Midland B champion Rangers (12-4-4) deflated but determined to come back even stronger in 2016 despite the loss to graduation of standout players Griffin Barry, Will Kelley and Collin Priest, among others.
Senior captain and center defensive-mid Spencer Nagi sees ample opportunity ahead despite the subtractions and will look to rally a skilled core of players eager to make their mark on Rangers soccer as many have in the past. The team opened on Sept. 6 with a home matchup with border rival Grafton High and is followed by two additional home games out of the next three. Nagi and others are hoping for that extra home field boost that comes with the comfort of familiarity.
“A fast start is critical for this team because we know we have a tough League schedule this year so we have to keep pace with the other teams and winning early can set our mentality for the rest of the year,” Nagi said. “If we can win early, we’ll know we can do it for the rest of the season.
“There are always kinks to work out at the beginning of the season. Starting off in a place where we know how to play and is friendly to us will definitely help us lower any stress we might have. We’ve all been hanging out over the summer. Most of these kids I’ve been playing with since freshman year and they all have a lot of talent.”
Nagi decided upon soccer as his sport of passion in middle school and was inspired and supported by his dad who has been a mentor for him through the years. There were club teams played for along the way towards skill-sharpening and one that was most memorable is that sponsored by current St. John’s High School head coach Ken Salsman.
The upcoming season will mark his third on varsity but his first in the role of captain. Nagi recognizes the additional accompanying responsibilities and has willingly embraced the obligations without reservation.
“My teammates know that they can come to me if they need help to improve themselves,” he explained. “I always tell them not to be afraid but come up and ask me. I had the same questions that the younger kids on the team do now when I was first starting so I get it.”
“Spencer leads by example,” said WHS head coach John Hillier. “His hard work on the field motivates his teammates to play to the best of their ability. He is athletic, confident, aggressive and strong to the ball. I can’t remember the last time he lost a 50-50 ball. It just does not happen.
“Off the field, he always has a smile on his face and gets along with everyone. He’s been a pleasure to coach. He is hard-working athlete who sees the game very well.”
As consuming as competitive soccer inherently is, Nagi manages to find time to do positive things away from the game. He has recently volunteered to assist with the community education program at WHS and this summer was a counselor at Camp Sunshine, a program that provides retreats with fun activities for children with life-threatening illnesses.
“I really enjoy giving back to the community,” said Nagi, who is anxiously anticipating the upcoming season along with teammates and coaches. “It’s really good to be able to help and something I plan to continue doing.”
