How Zeeland East shut out Zeeland West for 5-0 start to season full of potential

ZEELAND - As Levi Rodriguez darted ahead, he eyed the goal and delivered.

Just five games into the season, the Zeeland East sophomore has seven goals and has led the resurgent Chix to a perfect start in boys soccer .

The goal gave the Chix a 1-0 win over Zeeland West.

The 5-0 start includes wins over rivals Holland Christian and Zeeland West and has boosted the Chix into a season full of potential.

"I think we are just focused on making sure the culture was right. I told the boys that any given day we can go toe-to-toe with anybody and they have bought into that," Zeeland East coach James Lunga said. "This is very big. Last year, we held against some strong teams and the boys are starting to see that."

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It was just two seasons ago that the Chix claimed their first conference and district championship.

But the senior-laden team graduated nearly the entire lineup.

With last year as a rebuilding year, the Chix were hoping to get some valuable experience for the young players.

"This win is very big," Rodriguez said. "We want it a lot. Way more than last year. The intensity is way more, and that is why we are winning. You can feel that we are way more together."

Rodriguez has led the youth movement in a variety of ways.

"We had a conversation last year when he was a starting freshman. We had that time to build up those around him. He is playing selfless and it is making people commit and we are getting goals in a lot of ways," Lunga said.

He is far from the only one contributing. Cam Augustine and Jayce DeWitt are fellow sophomores on the varsity squad with another handful of juniors.

That means the Chix rebuild is working and looks to last.

"If we can master the small things, the big things will come," Lunga said.

For the Dux, the game was also a big step. Despite a tough start at 1-5, Zeeland West played a stellar game against the Chix and will look to build on that.

"We played our best game defensively. We took away a lot of things they wanted to do, and took their best player out of it for most of the game, which is really important because he is a really good player (Rodriguez)," Zeeland West coach Andy Hondorp said. "We just frustrated them defensively, which is an absolute win. We struggled offensively and couldn't really finish. They played a solid game. It is always a battle, and we get another shot at them."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSport s.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: How Zeeland East shut out Zeeland West for 5-0 start to season full of potential