2025 Soccer Preview: Peoria High excited to keep gaining traction

PEORIA — Soccer isn’t the sport most people think of when they think of Peoria High and many players on the Lions will say the same.

However, as the team is gaining traction, their players strongly believe that they can become a key program not just in their school, but in the city of Peoria. 

Coming off a three-win campaign in 2024, the future is bright for Peoria High soccer as the addition of over 10 freshmen has revitalized the program. On top of that, the Lions have a strong group of returnees with a chip on their shoulder and who are dedicated to putting their team on the map. 

Hear from players Josh Martinez, Ateareon Bovan, Jose Paz and Charles Barnes and get to know about this year’s Peoria High soccer team in their season preview below: 

2024 record: 3-9-1 (1-8-1 Big 12)

Head coach: Brett Heinlein (8th season)

Key returners: Jose Paz, Christopher Varela, Josh Martinez

Breakout players to watch: Ateareon Bovan, Charles Barnes, James Moss

Key games/tournaments:

Aug. 26 vs. Urbana

Aug. 27 @ Richwoods

Sept. 4 vs. Danville

Sept. 25 @ Manual

Oct. 2 @ Champaign Central

What are you doing to get ready for the year?

“It's all about fundamentals, honestly,” Martinez said. “Every time we come to practice, we come with smiles. I learned a lot from these guys too and for our preseason, we’re doing a lot of running.”

What are your expectations/goals for the year?

“We’re just trying to dominate, that’s the mindset,” Barnes said. 

“Taking out conference teams,” Bovan said. “Our first game [on] the 26th is a conference game against Urbana and then after that we got Richwoods. We’re just trying to get noticed and set the tone for the season.”

Do you guys feel like you’re overlooked in the Peoria soccer landscape?

“I think we’re the underdogs, honestly,” Martinez said.

“People and teams underestimate us [but] being underestimated is just fuel for our team,” Bovan added. “We have good coaches and they fuel us.”

How big is it for the program to get a few wins like you did last year?

“Even the wins and the losses, we take them all as wins,” Martinez said. “Last year, our record doesn't look that good, but if you were there, you noticed our scores. We did good against big teams, we put up a fight, and we're hoping that we go farther this year.”

“We're going crazy, it's my senior year,” Paz said. “[Of all] the four years I played at this school, I feel like this year is going to be something new.”

How would you describe the trajectory of the program?

“I feel like this year, this team surprised me,” Paz said. “We got good talent every year I play and every year, it gets better and better. But this year, it seems like we’re showing more and more effort. I feel like this is going to be a great year.”

“We have a lot of good young guys with crazy potential,” Bovan said. “They’re good.”

Who are the leaders on your team?

“Our seniors that carved the path for us in the three years that I played,” Martinez said. “I've seen Jose Paz, I've seen Chris [Varela].”

“They set pretty good examples, let us know when we're doing wrong, let us know when we're doing right and just leading by example,” Bovan said.

What does the game of soccer mean to you?

“I came to school today pretty mad, then came to practice [and] it helped my mental [state],” Barnes said. “I was smiling because of these guys.”

“I noticed at our school, [students] overlook soccer,” Bovan said. “When I tell them I play soccer, they’re like, ‘Oh, you play soccer? Who plays soccer?’ I say you just got to come and try it and play it because I told everybody, we're gonna put soccer on the map for this school.”