January 21, 2026
Strong Team Culture Fuels Historic Season for Mount Dora Boys Soccer
By Riley Goldberg
Strong Team Culture Fuels Historic Season for Mount Dora Boys Soccer
Mount Dora High School’s boys soccer team has put together an impressive season marked by consistency, depth and a strong team-first approach. Entering the heart of the schedule, the Hurricanes have compiled a standout record with double-digit wins, scoring more than 60 goals while allowing fewer than 10, including several decisive victories against district opponents.
The team has shown balance on both ends of the field, combining a high-powered offense with disciplined defensive play, a formula that has kept Mount Dora competitive in nearly every matchup this season.
Head Coach Ryan Eshbaugh and Assistant Coach Danny Rodriguez have worked to cultivate a healthy team structure built on trust, accountability and unity, both on and off the field.
“We really just emphasize the team,” Eshbaugh says. “We try to do so much just as a unit, whether it’s in or outside of soccer, offensively or defensively. We want the players to buy into the team concept, and so far it’s worked in our favor.”
Eshbaugh speaks highly of his entire roster, noting that each player brings something valuable to the group.
“We’re really blessed to have such a great group of guys,” he says.
Among the team’s leaders are captains senior striker Noah Rennard and senior Luis Cirilo, whom Eshbaugh describes as guiding forces for the program. Still, he is quick to emphasize that leadership and contribution extend throughout the roster, with every player playing a role in the team’s success.
With 13 seniors on the boys varsity team, Eshbaugh said he is proud of how far they’ve come and has offered advice as they prepare for the next stages of their lives.
“Life is awesome,” he says. “It’s a beautiful thing, and there’s so much good to it. But it’s hard, so you’ve got to work at it. If you want it, you’ve got to work.”
Eshbaugh also hopes the departing seniors will remain connected to the program in the years ahead.
“Mount Dora is not going anywhere,” he says. “Even if I’m not here, the program will be here. We try to build that family-type culture so they come back, whether it’s for an alumni game, watching from the sideline, or training with us here and there. It means a lot.”
While losing a large senior class could present challenges in future seasons, Eshbaugh remains confident in the foundation already in place and plans to continue building on the program’s core values.
“Success is more of a meal than a house,” he says. “You enjoy it in the moment, but it doesn’t last forever. A home is long-term — it’s where you lay your head. Success is short-lived, moment by moment. The goal is to keep carrying on what we’ve built.”
Eshbaugh said he is grateful for his players and for the support of his assistant coach, adding that the program’s direction remains grounded in family values, mutual trust and a shared commitment to growth.
Photos by Joe Ott.
Born and raised in Leesburg Florida, Riley has always been immersed in the community. She received her Associates in Arts at Lake Sumter State College and is currently studying creative writing at the University of Central Florida.
While Riley is young and just starting this new journalistic road, she has excellent communication skills and is very excited to talk to new people and learn their stories.
When Riley isn't writing for the magazine or working at her other job as a physical therapy tech, she's writing for herself. As a student of creative writing, Riley enjoys crafting short stories, poetry, and novel-length works of fiction. She also likes to draw, sing, bake, play various sports, and watch sitcoms with her family.
