The fall season of Groves sports has seen great success, especially with their varsity football team going undefeated for nine games in a row. While not unheard of, this is becoming more common among the best teams in the division. So the question is: how do they keep up with the competition?

Outside linebacker Issac Gjolaj was on the offensive line in previous years. He’s played football for all four years of his high school career. When asked about his team and what contributes most to their success, he answered:

“We have really good practices. Coach always makes sure we practice hard,” Gjolaj said. “And being friends with everyone outside of school makes us feel less pressured.”

Teamwork and coordination are generally seen as two of the most important skills a team can have, they are quite often found at the top of a division. However, Groves has more elements that create a larger gap in the competition.

“We have playmakers everywhere. Ryan can give the ball to anyone and trust they’ll get yards,” Gjolaj said. “It’s about trusting your teammates to get it done.”

At the moment, Groves is undefeated, giving the team high energy and determination to go all the way. “We gotta know that we have to lock in right after that moment,” Gjolaj said. “To be honest, we haven’t had that many low moments this year. It’s more so the team that pushes us back up in spirit.”

With finals just around the corner, the Groves varsity football team is ready to sprint up the bracket to be number one.