The Colonel Soccer teams kick off the year in a big way! With celebratory wins and devastating losses from the JV boys and girls, along with varsity boys and Lady Colonels, the season is off to an exciting start.

The JV girls team opened the season in a confidence-boosting 7-0 game against North Murray on February 12^th. Freshmen Leidi Toribio scored four times, along with juniors Hailey Henson and Morgan Delarm and freshman Michelle Escobar, each racking up points throughout the night, as well. Defense players Jailyn Padilla and Yecenia Hernandez brought their A-game against North Murray, resulting in the shutout.

The JV boys faced a devastating loss on the following Monday to Westminster High School. The final score was 3-1, with a goal from Alex Cabanas. Samuel Reyes and Vladislav Walls worked together for a total of nine saves in goal throughout the evening.

The following week, on February 23^rd, the varsity Lady Colonels kept up the shutout streak, beating Cohulla Creek 6-0. “It always feels great to bring home a win!” commented Emily Tracy, a senior on the team. Once again, freshmen Leidi Toribio and Michelle Escobar put points on the board, along with three goals from junior Logan Vermaas, and junior Brittney Ochoa also scored. “I love my girls,” Tracy added.

The same night, the Colonel boys fought to the end for a bitter loss to Cohulla Creek, with a final score of 6-5 after going into two rounds of overtime. After a 5-1 deficit at the end of the first half, the team gave it their all in the last twenty-three minutes of the game. They tied the game up 5-5, with goals from seniors Julio Medina and Felipe Albarran, and fellow teammates Carlos Perez, Javier Duarte, and Alex Cabanas. Junior Carlos Perez and senior Anthony Robledo provided assists throughout the evening, and freshman and goalie Isai Romero had an amazing night, totaling thirteen saves in goal. In the last 3.6 seconds of the second round of overtime, Cohulla Creek scored one final time, and the boys were forced to accept the heartbreaking defeat.

The boys and girls both fell hard to Carrollton the following week, with losses 6-3 and

3-2, respectively. Anthony Robledo, a senior, scored twice during the night, and Kaleb Speights, a junior, also put a point on the board. Isai Romero had five saves in goal, but they just weren’t able to pull out the win.

As for the girls, after a goal from Lupita Pineda in the first ten minutes of the game, the Lady Colonels held a 1-0 lead for most of the game. In the second half, Carrollton pulled ahead by one, and Logan Vermaas, off a free kick, tied up the game. Brianna Bullock, the keeper, fought hard in the goal, but the Trojans scored a devastating point late in the game. “It was a tough loss. It only makes me want to fight harder to win the next one,” Macy Wright, a senior and four-year team member, commented.

The Colonel soccer teams next face off against Paulding County on Tuesday, March sixth. We wish them luck as they travel to Dallas to meet the Patriots. Go Colonels!

UPDATE:

The Lady Colonels pulled through for the win in two region matches, setting them up at 2-2 in the region thus far. On March 6, they upset the defending region champions, Paulding County in a hair-raising penalty shootout after a 2-2 game went to overtime. Both goals were scored by junior Logan Vermaas, who also contributed a penalty kick along with Macy Wright, Hannah Johnson, Hailey Henson, Briana Ochoa, and Leidi Toribio.

Riding the victory wave, the Lady Colonels went on to defeat the Woodland Wildcats at home on March 9. Logan Vermaas had two goals and one assist, and junior Lupita Pineda had one goal and one assist. Goalkeeper Brianna Bullock had a shutout in goal, giving the Colonels a comfortable 3-0 win.

The Lady Colonels will travel to East Paulding on March 13 and face Hiram at home on March 16 for their next to region games.