ALTON - The Alton High School boys' soccer team did not have a season to remember last year. Senior forward Ashton Scheppers will be the first one to tell you that. He's ready to put all that behind him though and is looking forward to his senior season.
The Redbirds' season kicked off Thursday night (August 25) against Springfield Southeast with a huge 6-0 win. The scoresheet credits Scheppers with a couple of goals in that win.
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One of them was off a nice breakaway from the half-field line. He timed his run perfectly to accept a well-delivered through ball and put it past the keeper. That was the sixth and final goal of the game. Ashton is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for Alton High School.
Ashton played club soccer growing up but then switched to baseball. He said he was happy to get back into the sport in high school.
"My parents usually like baseball," he said, but according to him, he plays soccer because it's a fun way to stay in shape.
After last year, it's easy to hold your head low, but that's not what Ashton and the team are doing. They believe they can have a turnaround season.
"I'm having my hopes," he said about this boys' soccer season. He said that the team has gotten a lot better since last year and has improved primarily on their passing and finishing.
Winning their first game of the season is certainly a good place to start. They'll be back in action tomorrow with a double-header against Jersey and Beardstown as they wrap up play in the Redbirds Round Robin Tournament.
When spring comes around, Ashton is a usual starter for Alton's baseball team. He typically plays third base but can also be called upon to pitch.
The team finished the season 7-23, going out in the first round of the postseason to Edwardsville, the eventual state champions. They do however return a lot of their team for this season.
Ashton didn't really get his summer off either. He played for the Alton Post 126 Senior Legion team and won a district championship with them.
For now, his focus is on the soccer field. "I'm just trying to have fun my senior year and score some goals," he said.
