It’s the midway point of the boys’ soccer season, and Caprock Academy, the small school from Grand Junction, is already narrowing in on a program record for wins in a season.

The state’s runaway leader in points, Zayne Polson, is a big reason why.

The Eagles, who have had a varsity team listed on MaxPreps since only 2016, set the bar last year with four wins. But on Friday against winless Moffat County, they go for No. 5 in 2023.

Polson has paved the way to their 4-2 start, racking up 39 points (16 goals, seven assists), which is 11 more than the next player in any of Colorado’s classifications.

In this week’s look at the sport, let’s focus on a difference-maker like Polson in each classification, and what they mean to their team going forward.

Class 2A

Polson, Caprock Academy: The junior has taken his game to another level following his nine-goal, six-assist sophomore campaign.

He’s scored in five of the Eagles’ six games, with three or more goals in three of them, and double-digit points in two of them. He also had the lone goal earlier in the month at Crested Butte, which has won three 2A titles since 2018.

Teammate Edrik Ang, meanwhile, is tied for fifth in the state with 11 goals.

Class 3A

Ethan Wang, Peak to Peak: The senior brings a different and noticeably faster pace into the lineup for the 2022 3A runner-up, coach James Wagenschutz said.

On his four-game goal streak, Wang had two goals and an assist against Bennett. He had another against Kent Denver, a game he also set up the game-winner. His fourth and fifth of the season then came in a draw against Jefferson Academy and a rout over Timnath earlier this month.

Wang had 13 goals and six assists in 2022, helping push the surprise-Pumas to the title game.

“First of all, he brings a change of pace,” Wagenshutz said. “In many ways when you have a change of pace like Ethan, it’s always a threat for us. And last year when he scored as many goals as he did, there’s an understanding that he’s going to create opportunities for us as a team.”

Peak to Peak (5-0-1) hosts Arrupe Jesuit Wednesday.

Class 4A

Brandon Fellows-Mason, Centaurus: The attacking midfielder has six goals, six assists and at least a point in five of six games for the Warriors (6-0), who came into the week ranked first in 4A on MaxPreps and on the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

In a 5-0 win over Steamboat Springs Saturday, both he and fellow-senior Sebastian Kemp had a goal and an assist. They’re now outscoring teams 33-2 on the year.

The Warriors, who won the Northern Colorado Athletics Conference last year, are at unbeaten Niwot (3-0-1) later on Tuesday.

Class 5A

Alexis Salas, Rangeview: Over the last 14 years, the Raiders have missed the postseason just once — when it went 4-11 in 2021.

And with Salas leading the way with 5A’s second-most goals, with six in five games this fall, they look like they’ll be back there soon enough. Time will tell if their first postseason win since 2018 will accompany it.

Either way, Salas will be a big part of it. The senior had five goals in the three wins to open the season, and he tallied another in a 3-1 loss to Cherokee Trail Saturday.

Rangeview is 3-2 on the year with a home game against Eaglecrest Thursday.