The 2026 soccer season kicked off with high energy as the Day Creek Coyotes hosted the Summit Sharks on Thursday. From the opening whistle, the Coyotes came out strong and never looked back, securing a dominant victory in their season opener.

“We have a strong and independent team. We’re going to take it home,” said George P., before the game.

Day Creek’s defense stood firm early on, while the offense created several dangerous scoring opportunities. The silence was finally broken when Jovanny A. found the back of the net, giving Day Creek a 1-0 lead.

Coyotes goalkeeper Max was tested several times but made multiple crucial saves to preserve the lead.

“There’s a lot of improvement to be done,” said Max K. “I got nervous when they dribbled up the field, but I tried to save as many shots as I could.”

The Coyotes’ offense continued to apply pressure. Kingston L. quickly added a second goal, giving Day Creek some breathing room. Moments later, number 16 capitalized on a steal and finished calmly to make it 3-0.

“It felt amazing to score,” Kingston said, the Coyotes’ leading scorer. “I play striker. I’m supposed to score.”

In the second half, Day Creek kept their foot on the gas. Two more quick goals extended their lead even further. Although the Sharks managed to score twice late in the game, they could not overcome the deficit.

The Coyotes walked away with a convincing 5-2 victory.

“We got a lot of great shots on goal, and I thought defensively we looked really solid,” said Coach Celis after the game.