The girls soccer team’s season ended with a 1-0 loss to Prosper in the regional quarterfinals on April 1. The Lady Hawks finished the season with an overall record of 18-4-4 and tied for second place in the district, making it into the playoffs for the seventh straight season.
“I was really proud of the team this year; they worked really hard,” assistant coach Kallie Essary said. “District didn’t end like we wanted it to, but [the team] came out and they fought. In our first playoff game, we were losing until 11 seconds left. We ended up winning that game in a penalty shootout, and that was the first playoff win we’ve had in a couple of years, so they fought until the end.”
Twelve out of the 27 players on this season’s team are seniors, which is almost half of the current roster graduating. Defender Kayla Martinez, who was recovering from knee surgery, said this season has been emotional.
“My emotions were everywhere,” Martinez said. “It’s crazy to see the four years of progress, and I’m honestly thankful for everything that happened. I’m [going to] miss everybody and it was a great program to be a part of, being here and getting shaped by soccer.”
The team went 9-2-3 in district this season and had an 11-game win streak. Essary said it’s been sad to see many seniors go, and regaining team chemistry will be something to look forward to for next season.
“Every year, it is definitely hard to see seniors go,” Essary said. “This group [has] been coming to camp since they were little. I’ve seen them grow forever, and they’re all close with each other. We were a close-knit family, and it was the last time we all got to be on the field together.”
This season meant more than the game for some players. The team honored Martinez’s late brother and the passing of former football head coach Brian Brazil with patches with their initials and a cross on the sleeve of their playoff shirts.
“This year was definitely more family-oriented,” Martinez said. “We were playing for something bigger: playing for each other this year. I think [the initials] reminded us of what we were playing for in memorial for the people that have gained their wings.”
Junior Layla Thompson said that one of the best parts being in this year’s team was the camaraderie, and that one of her favorite memories was everyone running to midfielder Tatianna Diaz as she scored a game-winning penalty kick.
“We’re like a family,” Thompson said. “We did a really good job of being together and encouraging each other. Everybody wants to see each other succeed, no matter who was on the bench or on the field.”
