Girls’ Soccer Finally Defeats Rivals Coronado
Photo Credit: Courtesy the Yearbook Club
Exhibition Game Against High Tech High, Chula Vista
Related Content
February 13, 2012 • Kelsey Boulger, Staff Reporter
Filed under Sports, Top Stories
After four long years, the girls’ soccer team finally got justice. Rivals Coronado High School came to Mission Bay to play our Lady Bucs on January 19, 2012. This rivalry began in 2008, when Coronado knocked Mission Bay out of CIF contention in the Semi- final round. The following year the two teams met again in the semi- final round, another disappointing loss for the Bucs. Finally this year the tides had turned. Coronado, having graduated nineteen seniors in 2011 was not as big of a soccer powerhouse as they have been in the past. Facing Mission Bay, who has had an amazing season so far and a phenomenal undefeated record, this game would be a very good one.
The week leading up to this match was a nervous one. Captain Jen Davis described the week as “full of nerves and team spirit. You could really tell that we all believed in each other and that no matter what the result was we would still be there for each other when the game was over.” As a member and captain of the team I could tell that everyone was nervous and excited for the game. Practice that week was very intense, we were all giving our best effort. In the past weeks the Lady Bucs had gotten a lot of press, mainly one of the team captains Christina Burkenroad. “I’ve never seen our team so focused and driven during practice. It was as if we had replaced our fun loving team spirit with one of determination and drive, the qualities we exhibit on the field” says Burkenroad.
The game that day was an exciting one. The Bucs got a quick goal in the first ten minutes of the game, giving them a 1-0 lead over the Islanders. Scored off a free kick, Senior Lauren Boulger crossed the ball into the box where Burkenroad was waiting to finish. The Bucs got another quick goal within minutes of their first, this time coming from Lauren Boulger on a break away. To end the first half the Bucs got another goal in the last minutes of the half giving them a 3-0 lead at the end of the half.
At half time Coach Jorge Palacios was extremely proud of his team, saying, “I was very proud of them so far, we have never put up three goals against this team and it was only the first half. They were all working very hard for each other and you could tell that they really wanted this win.”
The second half was now underway, the Islanders having started this half as a completely team were giving the Bucs quite a challenge, getting off several shots that Senior Maili Saili was there to save. For most of this half the Bucs had a harder time getting down into the Islanders final third of the field. Having changed their formation to a more consolidated force in the back, Forwards Jones and Burkenroad were having difficulty finding holes through. The Bucs luck had not run out though, with regulation time running out the Bucs got one last opportunity to put one away on their rivals. Again it was Burkenroad with the goal, after a hard fight for the ball just out side of the eighteen yard box Burkenroad was able to get a shot off. As her third goal of the game, Burkenroad had put the Bucs up 4-0 on the Islanders.
When the game was over, the Mission Bay sideline erupted with cheer. The Lady Bucs had finally defeated their rivals Coronado. “Beating them is one of my favorite memories of my last season as a Buc” says Senior Jen Davis. The Mission Bay Girls Soccer team plays Coronado again on February 9, 2012 at Coronado. “I can’t wait to play them again!” says sophmore Janae Lopez. Overall the Bucs taste of victory is one of hard work, determination and sacrifice, and I expect to see this team do very well in their season.
Loading ...
Comments
Please leave a comment about this article...
and if you want your comment published, you must be civil, courteous, and enter your first and last name. Thank you.