By Blake Chadwick
After a 17-2 school record season was cut short for the Buhler Crusaders in the state quarterfinals, senior striker Jaylen Cherry knew there was only one thing to do for this year: match the success and keep on winning.
“Jaylen is a great kid and soccer player,” head coach Joshua Tafolla said. “He has great foot skills and good speed and can take over a game and be a game changer with his abilities.”
Cherry is a first-team all-state and two-time first-team all-league player who is continuing to be instrumental again, leading the Crusaders to a 7-1 record through the first eight games.
“I’m a player who wants to see his teammates succeed before I do,” Cherry said. “My personal goal for this season was to try and make my team around me better every game and lead as a captain.”
The senior has been able to set his teammates up a lot during his time on the pitch, and as a senior with 10 goals and three assists through eight games, his offensive role has multiplied.
“It is important to do my job because I feel that I give off an energy that keeps our team together even when we’re down,” Cherry said. “I also know I can start the momentum for our team at any given moment.”
With a couple more regular season games left for the senior, he has a mental clock that has increased his urgency this year.
“My mentality has been to change the game any way I can,” Cherry said. “Whether it be passing, making runs, getting back on defense, or scoring, I just want to be a reason why we win.”
