Clemson commit Xander Sevian, ‘25, is setting out to win a state championship with Boulder High boy’s soccer team this season. First making the varsity team as a freshman, Sevian knows how much work it takes to make it to the state championship, but the team is well on its way there.
As of October 3rd, 2024, the boys team is undefeated. Their record, 8-0-1, has placed them as the No. 1 team in Colorado and, according to MaxPreps, the No. 16 team nationally. The last time the team was No. 1 in the state was in the 2018-2019 season. After taking last season off to focus on his MLS next team, Sevian is back and better than ever, leading BHS boys soccer to win after win.
Sevian has never known life without soccer, playing since he was three. Sevian says that his favorite part of soccer “is the competitive environment of the game.”
Boys soccer coach, Coach Hardy, recognizes Sevian’s love of competition and sees how it drives him: “Xander is a passionate competitor. He simply loves to compete.”
Sevian is a left winger and a team captain. He says, “As a captain, I try to make sure everyone is just focused. We have a really talented squad this year, and if we stay focused, there is no ceiling for this team.”
As a left winger, Sevian understands his role on the team is to create chances and score, something he does extremely well. So far this season, Sevian has already scored an astounding 11 goals, the highest on the team, matching his previous best of 11 goals in his sophomore season.
In Boulder High’s September 24th game against Fossil Ridge, Sevian scored all three of Boulder High’s goals, leading them to their 3-0 win. Due to Sevian’s impressive performance, he was named the MaxPreps player of the game. He was also named MaxPreps player of the game on September 5th after scoring one goal against Ralston Valley and on September 10th after scoring three goals against Centaurus.
Coach Hardy says, “Like all great athletes, when it comes down to clutch time, Xander wants the ball. He’ll make the play. He knows it. He believes and so do his teammates. Xander is also humble and lifts up the whole team and program.”
His work ethic, humility, and leadership have led to his success not only in making the U17 national championships but also in his previous success at Boulder High. As a freshman, Sevian set the all-time goal-scoring record for a freshman at Boulder High.
Next season, Sevian will be playing for Clemson University, an extremely successful D1 program. Clemson has won two out of the last three men’s soccer NCAA championships which Sevian says was a crucial factor in his commitment process.
Sevian says, “The college recruiting process was fairly straightforward for me. I went on a visit to Clemson at the start of my junior year and committed almost immediately after,” adding that “the campus was very beautiful, and the coaching staff was amazing, so I had no reason not to choose Clemson.”
It’s no wonder Clemson was so eager to add Sevian to their already strong team. Coach Hardy says, “He’s a joy to coach: he’s open to coaching and truly puts the team first. It’s easy for players with half his talent to have a fixed mindset, but Xander is always open to learning and growing.”
After taking last season off, Sevian says he is “very excited to be back in the program.” He adds, “The environment on the team is amazing. Although practice involves a lot of smiles and hanging out with your friends, everyone wants to go out every day and work hard which is a big reason why we are winning games.”
Sevian credits the team’s success to every player’s work ethic and the chemistry of the team. He says that this year, in particular, the team “has a lot of really good players, and we seem to be flowing well in a new system.”
Coach Hardy agrees with Xander’s sentiment, saying, “Sports should be about joy. And there is so much joy with this team and Xander has been a big part of that team culture.”