PHOENIX - For Bourgade Catholic boys soccer, the message heading into the 2025-26 season is simple: unfinished business.
Last year, the Golden Eagles surged to a 9-3 regular-season record and outscored opponents 52-14 in region and freedom games. But a second-round playoff loss to Yuma Catholic still lingers, a motivator that head coach Alejandro Luna, now entering his 11th year at the helm, says has shaped every part of the team’s preparation.
“The carryover isn’t just from that game,” Luna said. “We failed to achieve multiple goals last season. And though our overall record and score line may indicate success, it fell short of what we wanted to accomplish.”
This year’s squad returns roughly three-quarters of last season’s roster, including six seniors who bring leadership and experience to a deep and battle-tested lineup. Luna noted that the returning group has helped set the tone for the team’s newer varsity players, many of whom gained valuable minutes on JV last season.
“Depth in roster is very crucial at the 3A level,” Luna said. “Five years ago, we were lucky to have a handful of solid players to rotate. Now we have two or three players per position. It holds well for this program for years to come.”
Senior Erick Alvarez, a four-year varsity starter and returning captain, anchors the defense as center back, or as he puts it, “the last man.” For Alvarez, the mindset heading into his final season is clear.
“Win it all. That’s it,” he said. “I’m tired of losing every time in the playoffs. It’s really frustrating that we can make the playoffs every year but not win it once. Not winning it all is a disappointment. It’s not happening this year.”
Despite the sting of last season’s playoff exit, Alvarez said there’s no room for excuses, only growth.
“At the end of the day, excuses are just excuses,” he said. “What speaks later is what we do off of the loss. I want to make sure these kids play with no regrets and leave everything on the field.”
Both believe the team’s attacking depth can again produce the same offensive success that defined last season. Luna said the team has been experimenting with tactical formations to get their top offensive players in the right spots. Alvarez echoed that confidence.
“Same exact thing. Definitely,” he said when asked if he expects another year of scoring dominance.
For Luna, maintaining that balance between tactical precision and team chemistry will be key.
“Team chemistry is moving along at a better-than-average pace for us,” he said. “Our biggest challenge has always been ourselves. We had many highs and lows last year, all within our own control.”
Still, the Golden Eagles’ goals remain ambitious and unapologetically so.
“We keep the standard high,” Luna said. “No pat on the back, ‘you guys did a good job’ type seasons. We are here to win.”
For Alvarez, that standard means not only chasing a state title but checking off one personal goal, finally defeating Northwest Christian, a familiar rival that edged Bourgade in last year’s Golden Eagle Classic championship.
“It’s been a thorn in our side,” Alvarez said. “We’ve never beaten them, and it’s so annoying because we have the skills and the quality to beat any team in 3A.”
As the Golden Eagles open another demanding 3A season, one Luna describes as “always a grind to the finish line” the mix of seasoned leadership and hungry newcomers has this group poised for a breakthrough.
“We have everything necessary to win it all,” Alvarez said. “It’s most definitely an execution problem. But this year, we’re locked in. No regrets.”
