With last year’s C.C.S. victory still on their minds, the varsity girls soccer team prepares for their next season.
Last season, the Woodside girls varsity soccer team surprised the league when they beat the almost-undefeated Mountain View High School with a nail-biting score of 1-0 and won C.C.S. for Woodside. None of the other schools were expecting this kind of result with Woodside’s record of 17-1-3, to Mountain View’s 19-1-2.
Many had predicted Mountain View as the winner. Woodside’s team had already been weakened this year due to injuries and many key players graduating last year. However, hopes are still high this year as many players are still reminiscing last year’s victory.
“Winning C.C.S. last year was the highlight of my sports career,” junior player Kayla Zuniga said. “It felt so good to be apart of that team and once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The team victory has meant a lot to the every one of the players due to the teamwork and effort each teammate put into the team in the previous season.
“I was extremely proud of how well we did during the season,” praised Juliana Rodriguez, a sophomore player. “I felt it was a win that was well deserved. Every single girl on the team definitely aided one way or another to make us champions.”
The experience meant a lot to the team as a whole, but many are wondering if they can recreate the same feeling and victory for the upcoming season.
“Anything is possible,” claimed varsity coach Jose Navarrete. “We lost 16 total players from last year’s squad due to graduation and injuries. This is a very inexperienced team with 12 of the 20 players that have never played at the varsity level before. If we don’t get as far as last year it will not be because of desire or lack of effort.”
Despite inexperience weighing down the team, the girls’ hopes still stand strong as they work hard to get up to the level of last year’s team.
“My team by no means is perfect, but we try our best every game,” Rodriguez said. “With the right attitude and discipline, I really believe that our team can be a fierce competitor in C.C.S. To me, I feel that is the biggest key in being ready and prepared.”
Even the coach has been pushing the girls to get to the level he believes that they can be at, despite it not being as high as as year’s was.
“I really believe this team will surprise at the end of the season,” Navarrete said. “Experience is something we can’t gain overnight and growing as a team sometimes requires ‘we eat a little dirt’ together. The attitude has been great and their effort has been spectacular. It gets even harder when you have to follow in the footsteps of last year’s team.”
The last year’s team’s footsteps have been proven that they are going to be very difficult to follow.
“This team is very young and not as experienced as last year’s team,” Navarrete said. “Last year’s team goes down as one of the best athletic teams to ever represent Woodside HS and one of the best ever in C.C.S. This year’s team has their own goals they set and are very realistic about their chances. Still they have aimed big.”
The expectations being set for the team are not too high so they still have a will to practice hard and go as far as they can.
“I think it is possible yet it’s a team effort and requires everyone to be focused and determined,” Zuniga expressed. “Although we lost many key players, I see a lot of potential from the girls on the team. If not this year, then we will definitely be improved for next year. Our team definitely has changed since last year, yet I believe with a lot of practice and dedication we can be one of the top teams again.”
Despite the high bar last year’s team has set for them, the team is still ready for the season and the many challenges it will bring them.
“Winning C.C.S. in the open division last year was a once in a lifetime achievement for the girls,” Navarrete said. “We were the sixth seed in a field of eight, and no one really gave us a chance. No matter what happens from here on, Woodside was the first winner of this competition and memories will last a lifetime!”
