Taft Soccer

Briana Alcaraz, Managing Editor, Writer|March 18, 2019

     The boys’ and girls’ soccer team was probably the most impacted sport due to the delay from the strike. Their seasons were both cut short, their practices and games were canceled, and they were all devastated. Although the season was put on hold causing them to miss 2-3 games, both the boys and girls made the best out of the remainder of the season with doing their best at their games. Years back, there was a time where boys’ and girls’ sports were rivals. Their pride within the sport and who would play it better. The girls or the boys? However, over the years both sports became more like a brother-sister sport. They would attend each others’ games and show their full support for each other.

 

     Most of the freshmen that played in our 2015-2016 CIF championship game against El Camino is now a part of our 2019 graduating class. It’s sad to see them go, but they played with all of their hearts this last season (even with the disruption of the strike). Varsity Captain, Jenna Snyder (#14), believes that the most important part of being Captain is to find a balance between having fun and focusing on the field. She has watched the team grow as they said goodbye to their seniors each year. Although the first game was rained out, the Toreadors put together a beautiful ceremony where they commemorated the seniors. To follow up, they played an exciting game of varsity versus junior varsity (in which varsity won). The Varsity team made it to the quarter-finals against El Camino where they played their last game making it an emotional night due to their loss of the game.

 

     Over the years, boys’ soccer has grown from an under-appreciated sport to one of Taft’s top programs. Taft’s boys have come a long way from the start of this season.. Their season was also cut short, causing them to miss 2-3 games in the span of a week, but they made up for it by advancing all the way to the playoffs. Varsity boys won their first playoff game against Canoga High School with the score of 1-0 taking them to their second playoff game with El Camino. On February 11, the Taft varsity soccer team lost Monday’s away playoff game against rival school El Camino Real by a score of 1-0. Even though the boys did not win, they played their best ‘til the very end of the season.

     Together, both teams have a night where they commemorate all seniors who have come a long way in soccer. Boys and girls soccer had a senior night on different days to celebrate their teams. The Taft varsity soccer team won their home conference game against Chatsworth by a score of 3-0. Girls unfortunately had their senior night postponed due to weather changes leaving them to play against each other. They still had fun and played very well. Together the seniors from both teams went home with posters made by friends and family to remind them of what a memorable night it was. Soccer overall is a great sport, you should join soccer next year and be a part of the soccer family!