Young Mitchell boys soccer team looking to turn the page in 2026

Aug. 13—MITCHELL — After its strongest finish in recent years in 2024, the Mitchell High School boys soccer program took a step back last fall. Now, with a young roster, increased numbers and a group eager to learn, the Kernels are hoping to take another step forward in 2026. The 2024 season marked a significant improvement for a program that had endured more than a decade of struggles. Mitchell finished 5-8-2 that season, earning more wins than the previous three seasons combined. But last year, with 12 seniors on the roster, the Kernels finished 2-10-3. Fourth-year head coach Seth Paulson believes this year's group has the potential to change the direction of the program. "Even though we have a very young team, I have been very impressed with the knowledge they do have and how quick they pick up on things that they have not been introduced to yet," Paulson said. "We have gone over some tactics and principles of the game, and they are taking that information really well and using it out on the pitch in practice. Hopefully, these young guys can spark something within our program." The six returning varsity letterwinners include seniors Gavin Zilla and Henry Trefz, sophomores Keniel Padilla, Oaklee Cwach and Camdyn Palmer and freshman Jaxon Bates. The Kernels enter the season with just five upperclassmen — four seniors and one junior — meaning much of the roster is made up of younger players. Zilla earned the nod as the senior captain of the squad and will be counted on to lead the young group. Zilla has been part of the program since seventh grade and has emerged as a key voice for the Kernels. "Gavin has been with the program for a while, so he knows what to expect, and he has really stepped in and taken charge of this younger bunch," Paulson said. "A lot of the younger guys have been looking up to him, and even though we only have four seniors, everyone is making sure we are doing the little things right and that's all I can ever ask for." Paulson has also seen the program grow considerably since taking over in 2023. He began his tenure with just 18 players on the roster. Over the past two seasons, Mitchell has had more than 35 players participate, providing a much larger base for the program moving forward. One of the more intriguing additions this season is junior Evan Mitchell, who returns to the sport after taking his sophomore season off. Paulson said Mitchell has quickly fit in with the group and has become a vocal leader despite his limited recent experience. The Kernels will also have a true goalkeeper for the first time in several seasons. Bates is expected to take over in net as a freshman after Mitchell has relied on position players filling the goalie spot in recent years. On the pitch, Paulson and the Kernels plan to continue emphasizing an aggressive and fast playing style. "The last few years, and this year, we have been focusing on being a high-pressure team," Paulson said. "We want to keep the team on their heels, and we want to be in our attacking half of the field to give ourselves as many opportunities as we can to score. We really need to focus on defense and keep the ball on our feet and not the other team's feet if we want to have success this year." Mitchell will get its first opportunity to put that into action at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, when the Kernels open the season against Huron at Joe Quintal Field.