A game, a season, encapsulated by one single word. Perseverance. While this word was the motto for the 2024-2025 variety soccer team it also defined their season. Throughout the regular season they battled through close games, ties, and losses. Falling short last year in the regional finals, making states became the goal of this tight knit group of girls.
They fought hard and accomplished this goal. They breezed through the first few rounds of the playoffs and showcased their hard work and skills by winning those games in a shutout almost every time. The toughest game would be the regional finals, the same one they lost in a year before. They fought tooth and nail the whole game and in overtime freshmen Gianna Gray would edge their way into states with the only goal of the game.
“The game was so tight and we were so happy when Gianna scored the goal. It felt amazing to finally make it past the regional finals and make it back to states,” junior Cecilia Rodriguez said.
Following this, they cruised through the state semis with an impressive 5-1 win. Prior to the championship emotions were high but the team was so excited to just be “playing with each other”.
This Saturday they came in as the runner-up in the 2025 FHSAA Soccer State Championship against the Ponte Vedra Sharks. They left it all out on the field for a final score of 2-1. While it wasn’t the results the team wanted, the game itself showed just how much grit and determination these girls had.
“We fought till the end and I’m so proud of all these girls no matter what happend,” junior Maia Lorenzo said.
The Sharks had an early goal but after that it would be a back and forth battle between both sides. A goal in the last 15 minutes would put the sharks up 2-0 despite this setback the crowd was cheering every second down to the wire cheering on their bobcats.
“You could feel the excitement from the crowd and we were all cheering the whole entire game, they really played amazing no matter the ending,” fan Liane Sotolongo said.
In the last 10 minutes senior Lauren Cancio would score the lone goal for the bobcats, a beautiful moment for the senior. Down to the last minute the girls fought and pushed with everything they had.
This season might have not ended how they wanted to but the team has a strong foundation for the future and has continually shown resilience in the face of obstacles. Freshmen made their mark this year and showed the future is looking extremely bright for the team.
“It has been such an honor to be able to play with these girls and I can’t wait for next year,” freshman Adrianna (Cheeky) Baena said.
The 2024-2024 soccer season was filled with high and lows but what never left was the team’s dedication and hardwork. They worked all season long and truly made their school proud. The seniors have been an integral part of the team for the past four years and will be missed dearly. Their legacy will live on in the program, inspiring future players to strive for excellence. The foundations they have built have undoubtedly indicated that there will be continued success for the team.
