Kicking off the Rust: With Grayson Horsley
By Ian Busking
Without playing together as a squad for roughly a year in an actual game, playing a competitive team for the first game can be a challenge. Especially, with losing 22 seniors, it feels like a whole new Owasso Rams soccer team. Sophomore Grayson Horsley is someone who had to step up and fill one of those key roles left behind by the graduating class of 2020.
Picture of Grayson Horsley by Ian Busking
To most people, Horsley is seen as a kind and selfless peer, but on the soccer field he is a motivated and determined person who will do absolutely anything to help his team succeed. The Rams have been working diligently on the field in practice and in the weight room to get ready for their first game of the season.
Despite that, the Rams started the game flat footed with a first minute goal scored by the opposing Bixby Spartans, but that only motivated the Rams even more. They started to dominate the Spartans and were beginning to get their confidence back as the game progressed.
Photo of Fernando Adame shooting the ball by Ian Busking
Horsley describes his team’s mindset as, “locked in,” during the game. The Rams came back from being a goal down until the Spartans ended up scoring again, making the score 2-1. This motivated and pushed them even more as Fernando Adame scored with seven minutes left to tie up the game yet again.
After finishing the regulation in a score of 2-2, the Rams were sent straight to a penalty kick shootout against the Spartans, as they ended up losing in a heartbreaker with the keeper making a terrific save on Horsley’s kick.
Horsley comments that, “Missing the penalty kick (PK) against Bixby made me and my teammates even more hungry for a win. Any mistakes that I make from previous games, I can carry as motivation and fix them in the games to come.”
Horsley’s teammates and coaches were uplifting nonetheless after the game.
Horsley mentions that, “Having a brotherhood within Owasso soccer to keep my head up after that loss is what a real team is all about.”
Photo of the team praying before the game by Ian Busking
Despite the PK, Horsley had a very solid first game of the season. The team is ready to keep competing and prove to everyone that losing all of those seniors doesn’t mean that the Rams are out of state title contention.
This season for the Owasso Rams soccer team is nowhere near over. There is plenty of time to fix the minor flaws to help the boys win their upcoming games. Go out and support the Rams as they try to “claim the title and respect that [they] deserve,” as Horsley mentions.