‘Seguimos Aquí’: Battle Mountain boys soccer team looks to maintain standard of excellence going into 2026 season
After losing record-setting scorer Jakob Methvin, the Huskies lean on culture and depth to keep their five-year state quarterfinal streak alive.
Rex Keep/Courtesy photo
The slogan this year for the Battle Mountain boys soccer team is “Seguimos Aquí,” which translates to “We’re still here.”
Entering his 34th season as the head coach, Dave Cope said the phrase is a nod to “the resilience of the immigrant community in America.”
“As well as the fact that there are no rebuilding years at Battle Mountain,” he added. “Just another generation ready to step up and compete.”
Despite graduating the all-time career scoring leader Jakob Methvin — who led the Huskies to their second state title in 2023, earning state player of the year honors in the process — Battle Mountain plans to remain competitive in 4A, Cope said.
“The key to that consistency is the outstanding staff that I have,” the coach explained. “Kids genuinely improve under Joel (Rabinowitz), Jim (Glendining), Ali (Bender) and Cam (Kamin). We have kids who play three years of JV, step in as starters and do a great job.”
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Methvin, who also set a single-season scoring record with 34 goals last season, is currently in his freshman season at UC Santa Barbara. Coming off an 11-5-2 campaign, Western Slope League title and state quarterfinal appearance last fall, Battle Mountain also graduated Carlos Gardea and Carlos Ventura.
“(We) will need to find goals to replace the prolific output of this group,” said Cope, pointing to the fact that those three players accounted for 86% of the team’s goals.
Captain Fernando Lucero, whom Cope said has been organizing the center of the midfield for the last two seasons, is the most experienced returning starter. Lucero scored two goals and added six assists last season.
“(He) will be looking to boost that tally this season,” Cope said. In Friday’s season opener, Antonio Escalara opened his scoring account with the group’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw with Denver East. Carlos Velasquez, who posted six goals and four assists last fall, had the assist. Cope said if those two, plus Antonio Perez, can get into the teens on the points list, the Huskies will be all right.
“The vibe this year is a bit more defensive and collective,” Cope said. “We have great kids and I am proud to work with them all.”
Battle Mountain brings back both goalkeepers from last year’s team. Luc Glendining (1.89 goals-against average) split time with Steven Herrera (2.07 goals-against average). Cope said the defense will be anchored by athletes who are coming up from the junior varsity ranks in Edgar Castenon and senior Sergio Jove. The longtime coach was impressed with their play on Friday and also complimented the performances of captain Alan Lopez and senior midfielder Jesus Almeraz.
Having advanced to two state semifinals, two finals and a quarterfinal over the last five seasons, Battle Mountain has grown accustomed to playing well into November. But the Huskies know they won’t benefit from those long-sleeve jerseys unless they’re refined in the fire of a hot early-season schedule. On Tuesday, they welcome Northfield to town for a 6 p.m. matchup.
A little history: The Nighthawks beat the upstart Huskies in the state final in 2022. A year later, Battle Mountain got sweet revenge, knocking off the two-time defending champs (who had gone 56-1 over a three-year stretch) in a 2-0 victory to claim the program’s second state championship trophy. Can the Huskies return to Weidner Field again?
Maybe that isn’t the right question to be asking.
In July, Cope ran into Alex Trujillo — a member of the 2012 state championship team — after a World Cup game in Seattle.
“(I) started and ended the summer with experiences that drove home how important these relationships are,” Cope said. “In June, I attended a Hall of Fame induction in Pennsylvania for our 1981 state championship team. … Then in August, I got invited to a contractors’ golf event in Gypsum and saw so many of our alumni in there who are thriving in the valley. Guys like the Gonzalez brothers, Sean Reynolds and Erik Garcia, who all played for us. It was so great catching up with them.”
